Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers will hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m. Monday in the Lt. Governor’s Conference Room. The Office of Rural Prosperity will be announcing the release of its report after a year of traveling throughout the state, and the formation of the office.
Who: Lt. Governor Rogers, Governor Laura Kelly, ORP Team
What: Press Conference – Office of Rural Prosperity: Release of ORP Report
For the first time since 2015, the Governor’s State of the State address will be broadcast on live television in Kansas.
During the annual State of the State speech, Governor Kelly will report to the Kansas Legislature and to the state on her administration’s priorities for the 2020 Legislative Session.
When: Live broadcast: Wednesday, January 15, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Smoky Hills Public Television; KTWU in Topeka; KPTS in Wichita; Check your local PBS network listings for information on the live and replayed State of the State broadcast on those stations and others throughout Kansas.
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health Board will meet via conference call at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 16, 2020. This is a regularly scheduled board meeting.
The meeting is open to the public. Individuals who have questions about the meeting, including how to access call-in information, should contact Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith at 785-564-6601 or [email protected].
Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least two days prior to the meeting.
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WHO: Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Animal Health Board
Governor, Senate Majority Leader announce compromise proposal to lower healthcare costs for Kansas families
Bipartisan agreement paves way for both Medicaid expansion and reinsurance
TOPEKA – After weeks of negotiations, Democratic Governor Laura Kelly and Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning today announced a compromise proposal to expand Medicaid while lowering health insurance premiums for Kansas families.
“This process is far from over, as there are still several critical steps to be taken by the Kansas Legislature,” Kelly said. “But today, Senator Denning and I are proud to stand together to propose a bipartisan compromise that will expand Medicaid and lower healthcare costs for Kansas families. This proposal includes elements of my plan, of Senator Denning’s plan, of the 2019 House plan, and of the bipartisan plan that passed both chambers in 2017.”
The compromise proposal includes key elements to address concerns raised from both parties, in both chambers:
Full Medicaid Expansion: The proposal includes a full expansion of Medicaid to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) with a 90/10 match, to be effective no later than January 1, 2021.
Reinsurance: Pending Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approval of a 1332 waiver and release of funding by the State Finance Council, the proposal includes a reinsurance program to be effective no later than January 1, 2022. The agreement also requires the Kansas Insurance Department to complete an actuarial study of the reinsurance proposal and submit to the State Finance Council.
Medicaid Funding: The proposal includes an annual hospital Medicaid expansion support surcharge of up to $35 million, which has been endorsed by the Kansas Hospital Association, to be effective July 1, 2021. This compromise proposal does not require a tax increase.
Promoting Personal Responsibility: The agreement includes a robust work referral program that promotes self-reliance for non-working Medicaid beneficiaries, while limiting costly administrative red tape that drives up overall costs to taxpayers. Enrollees within the expansion population will make a modest contribution for health services through monthly premiums of up to $25 per month, or $100 for a family of four, as proposed in House Bill 2066. The bill does not contain any lockouts. Instead, it collects unpaid premiums through the state’s debt setoff program. A hardship provision is also included.
Rural Health Care Innovations: The proposal creates an advisory committee within the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to support rural hospitals in assessing viability and identifying new delivery models, strategic partnerships and implementing financial and delivery system reform to improve the health of rural communities.
“My top priority is to lower the cost of healthcare for Kansans across the board. We want to give as many Kansans health care coverage as we can, in the Medicaid market and the non-Medicaid market,” Denning said.
While this proposal is the most sweeping compromise offered since the debate over Medicaid expansion began in 2013, both Kelly and Denning underscored that more work remains.
“We’ll both be working with our respective caucuses in the coming days to get their feedback and buy-in,” Denning said. “But all sides can find something in this bill to like. That means it’s probably about as middle of the road as it can get.”
“This compromise was an important first step, but our work is not over yet,” Kelly said. “Legislators, many of whom were here today, have the ability to bring this over the finish line in the early days of the 2020 session. I am calling on them to do just that.”
Response to today’s announcement of a bipartisan agreement on Medicaid expansion
” Ascension Via Christi extends our appreciation to Gov. Laura Kelly and Sen. Jim Denning for
reaching an agreement on expanding Medicaid in Kansas. Ascension Via Christi, along with the
Kansas Hospital Association and many other healthcare organizations, have been advocating for
Medicaid expansion for the past eight years as a way to make sure that all of our citizens have
access to care.
Expanding Medicaid will bring hundreds of millions in federal dollars to our state, giving Kansans
residents increased access to health care coverage while supporting healthcare providers and our
entire Kansas economy.
Across Ascension’s markets we know that expanded Medicaid has enhanced access to coverage
and care, resulted in more appropriate utilization of services, and has created financial security
among the poor and vulnerable.
Our ministry’s support of Medicaid expansion is rooted in our mission to serve all persons, with
special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable, and to protect and promote the inherent
dignity of all human life from conception until natural death .”
-Submitted by Don King, chief executive officer, Ascension Via Christi
There will be a work session of the Fort Scott City Commission held on Wednesday, January 15th, 2020 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the City Commission meeting room at 123 S. Main Street. This work session will be held to discuss water and sewer lines in the City of Fort Scott. This work session is open to the public.
New agency to include DCF, KDADS and KDOC Juvenile Services
Governor Laura Kelly today announced her intent to submit an executive reorganization order to the Kansas Legislature creating the Kansas Department of Human Services (KDHS). The new agency will include the current programs at the Department for Children and Families (DCF), Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) and the juvenile services division of the Department of Corrections.
Current Secretary of DCF and KDADS, Laura Howard, will lead the new KDHS.
“I ran for office, in part, to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens were protected and that somebody in Topeka was advocating for them,” Kelly said. “One of my key priorities since taking office has been fixing our broken safety net and ensuring that we have a system that is worthy of our citizens. The creation of this new, combined agency reinforces my commitment to our children and families in need and ensures they have access to critical services.
“The creation of the new agency allows us to focus on prevention, so that we can get to these families before their situation becomes a crisis,” Kelly said. “The Department of Human Services will partner with communities across the state to create a single point of entry for those who need access to services for things like child welfare, mental health, economic support and juvenile justice.”
Programs included in the new agency will include:
Adult protective services
Adult behavioral health
Long-term services and supports
Economic supports
Employment supports
Children’s mental-health supports
Child protective services
Juvenile justice and crossover youth
Foster care
Prevention
Licensing, credentialing, survey and certification
Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex
Larned State Hospital
Parsons State Hospital
Osawatomie State Hospital
Kansas Neurological Institute
Governor Kelly recognizes juvenile justice reform has resulted in a reduced need for incarceration while at the same time improving county community corrections case management. Including juvenile services in the new agency continues the improvement process.
“Given the needs of families for community collaboration and overlap, it makes sense to organize juvenile services and child welfare resources under one agency,” Kelly said.
“This is not going to be business as usual,” Howard said. “This combination of services gives us an opportunity to think differently about service delivery. We want Kansans to have seamless access to programs and services that will allow them to thrive. KDHS will be known for its innovation and willingness to work with community partners.”
“Secretary Howard is the perfect person to lead the new agency,” Kelly said. “I am confident that she has the vision and experience to launch an organization of this magnitude and ensure that all Kansans are well served by a commitment to continuous improvement and accountability.”
Governor Kelly will submit the ERO to the legislature within the first 30 days of session. The ERO becomes effective on July 1, following its transmittal to the Legislature, unless either the Senate or the House takes action on the ERO within 60 calendar days after submission.
The Lake Fort Scott Advisory Board will meet on Saturday, January 11th, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at the City Hall Commission Meeting Room at 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This meeting is open to the public.
Dave Bruner, 46, is the new Fort Scott Fire Department Chief, effective Jan. 6, 2020.
Bruner has worked 25 years fulltime in the FSFD.
“He’s got all the training and certificates he needs for the position,” Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin, said of Bruner.
“I began with the department as a reserve firefighter in 1992,” he said. “I was hired full time in May of 1994. I was promoted to Lieutenant in 1999, then promoted to Deputy Chief in 2014.”
In addition to numerous firefighter, rescue, and fire officer certifications, Bruner is an Advanced EMT, and hold certifications as a Fire Investigator II, Certified Public Manager (CPM), and Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS).
“I am a member of the MERGe team, Kansas Region VI EMS Council, Fire Marshal’s Association of Kansas, and the Kansas Chapter of International Association of Arson Investigators,” Bruner said.
Bruner received his Associates of Science from Fort Scott Community College in 1994 and also earned a Fire Science Degree from Hutchinson Community College.
He is following in his father’s footsteps.
” My father was a firefighter with the department for five years before taking a full-time position with the National Guard,” Bruner said. “After he left the department, he remained in close contact with many of the members. As a child, I would go to the fire station often with him to visit and over the years developed an interest in the fire service.”
For Bruner, the best thing in being a firefighter is helping people, he said.
Some of the challenges of the job?
“The constant changes in the fire service,” he said. “Changes from equipment, firefighting techniques, as well as rescue and EMS services will always be challenging.”
“The department has worked hard the past few years to update equipment,” he said. ” I want to continue that project in order to have the tools and equipment needed so that our department can continue to operate safely and effectively.”
Bruner has bee married to Michelle for 22 years and has a daughter Kylie, 21, and a son Dylan. 15.
“Michael Miles will be the new deputy chief,” Martin said. “We will find a replacement for Michael as a firefighter.”
SEK, Inc. will host guest speaker Secretary David Toland of the Kansas Department of Commerce at its annual meeting on January 23rd at the Kansas Crossing Casino south of Pittsburg on US highway 69.
Members and non-members alike are all welcome to join SEK, Inc. as the Kansas Crossing Casino is hosting our annual meeting, dinner and social for the first time since the Casino/hotel was completed in 2017. Cost is $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Activities begin at 5 pm with a social hour followed by dinner at 6 and the Secretary’s remarks and other annual meeting items thereafter.
To register, please call, text or email Executive Director Steve Davis at 620-235-9990, [email protected]. Please register by close of business on Friday, January 17th.
Southeast Kansas, Inc (SEK, Inc.) is a regional alliance of business leaders from a diverse economy. The organization represents manufacturing, retail, and service businesses along with county and city governments from 12 counties in Southeast Kansas.
Topeka – As 2020 begins, the Kansas Department of Health and Environments (KDHE) offers 10 healthy habits to begin or to continue this new year!
“We want to help Kansans live their best lives, so we have compiled a list of simple things every one of us can do starting today,” said Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of KDHE.
Move more, sit less. Benefits of regular physical activity include maintained weight, reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, reduced high blood pressure and reduced arthritis pain. It also reduces your risk for many long-lasting (chronic) conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke and several forms of cancer.
Eat healthy. Good nutrition is key to good health. It can help sicknesses from happening and assist in healthy growth. So, reach for healthy options like fruits and vegetables instead of salty or sugary treats.
Lose weight or keep a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk for multiple, long-lasting (chronic) diseases. People who lose and keep a healthy weight can improve not only their physical health, but also their energy levels, general mood and self-confidence.
Quit smoking. You are never too old to quit. Benefits include: lowered risk for lung cancer and many other types of cancer; reduced risk for heart disease and stroke; reduced heart disease risk within 1 to 2 years of quitting; reduced respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath and more money you will save! To get started, call the Kansas Tobacco Quitline, 1-800-QUIT-NOW for free support.
Rethink your drink. You can substitute water for sugary or alcoholic drinks to reduce calories and stay safe. This simple change can reduce your risk of weight gain/obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities and gout, a type of arthritis.
Get screened for cancer. Regular screenings may find breast, cervical, colorectal (colon) and other cancers early, when treatment is likely to work best. Talk with your health care provider to see which ones you should have. Women, call Early Detection Works, 1-877-277-1368 to see if you qualify for support in paying for breast and cervical cancer screenings.
Keep kids healthy and safe — talk to them about the dangers of vaping. Children develop their habits and behaviors at an early age and those habits can impact their life-long health. According to the National Youth Tobacco Survey data, e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among both high school and middle school youth. Vaping is putting young people at risk for developing lifelong nicotine addictions.
Get vaccinated. The best way to prevent common illnesses is to get and stay up-to-date on vaccinations. A complete immunization schedule for children and adults can be found at http://www.kdheks.gov/immunize/schedule.htm. For adolescent females, this includes getting vaccinated against HPV cancer.
Get enough sleep. Get at least 7 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep can be a risk factor for many long-lasting (chronic) diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and depression.
Maintain mental health. Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being. While everybody has the blues, feels anxious or gets stressed at times, if you cannot shake these feelings, it’s important to get help. Poor mental health increases the risk for long-lasting (chronic) physical conditions like heart disease, stroke and cancer. Call the National Alliance on Mental Illness for resources 1-800-539-2660.
