Health in the 34th

In this time-sensitive episode, we break down Kansas Senate bill 363 and why health care providers, food banks, disability advocates, senior organizations, and faith leaders are warning about the harm it will cause. The bill would increase administrative costs for Medicaid and SNAP, raising error rates, costing more for taxpayers, and causing eligible Kansans to lose access to health care and food...

What's ahead for Kansas lawmakers in 2026? In this episode we are joined by Sean Gatewood of Sunflower Public Affairs to break down how the Kansas Legislature works, what to watch during this shortened session, and how Kansans can get involved in the process in real time. We dig into the committees to watch and the big issues likely to dominate the session, including the state budget, proposed cut...

In this episode of Health in the 34th, we’re joined by Nathan Kessler, Principal Economist at Kansas Action for Children , to break down the real tax implications of H.R. 1, otherwise known as the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed this summer. Nathan walks us through what Kansas families can expect when they file their taxes next spring and why more than 25,000 Kansas children stand to lose their federa...

Big changes are coming to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and some take effect as soon as November 1. In this episode of Health in the 34th , we break down what Kansans need to know with special guest Haley Kottler, Thriving Campaign Director for Kansas Appleseed. In this episode we cover: How SNAP works and who is enrolled in the program What changes Kansans can expect in th...

In this episode of Health in the 34th, we break down the sweeping health care changes packed into H.R. 1, also known as the "Big Beautiful Bill" passed this summer. What exactly is in it? How will it change the way Kansans access care, pay for treatment, and navigate coverage in the years ahead? When can you expect to see the effects of the bill? We take a look at the real-world impact on families...

There is a lot going on in the world of health both in Kansas and at the federal level. We are here to give you the things you should know right now, and three things you can do to make a difference starting today. Topics include: Federal threats to Medicaid , including who is at risk of losing coverage and some sneakier ways Congress might make them happen; Kansas Legislative wrap up , including...

The 2025 Rally for Health Care took place March 12 at the Kansas Capitol. On this episode we bring you the full audio from the Rally, with immersive audio so you can experience the excitement and energy that was in the room. Speakers at the rally included: April Holman, Executive Director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas Melinda McDaniel, Wichita resident who lives in the coverage gap Shari Co...

In this week's episode we take a look at what has happened recently in the health policy at the state and federal levels. Some highlights: Medicaid expansion bills introduced in the Kansas House and Senate Three votes in the Kansas Legislature on Medicaid expansion Federal budget reconciliation proposals that would result in severe cuts to Medicaid There is still time to call your Congressional re...

A recent report from the Georgetown Center for Children and Families showed how critical Medicaid coverage is for rural communities in Kansas. At all stages of life, more rural Kansans rely on Medicaid than those who live in urban or suburban areas. In this episode we talk with Adrienne Olejnik, Vice President of Kansas Action for Children (KAC), about the report and what it means for Kansans who...

Happy New Year! The 2025 Kansas Legislative Session began this week, so in this episode we do a deep dive into who will be setting laws in Kansas after last fall's elections. We are thrilled to welcome our colleague Sean Gatewood, who specializes in advocacy work, to give us his detailed insights. In this episode we cover: Who are the key Kansas legislators in setting the agenda in the House and S...

Most of the results from the November 5, 2024, election are in! In this episode, we talk about what the election results mean in Kansas and on the federal level, and things that health advocates should keep an eye on, including: Possible attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare Possible changes to Medicaid The layout of the new Kansas Legislature, and what that means for advocacy work...

In 1991, Kansas was ranked 8th in the nation in health factors, according to the longest-running state-by-state analysis, America's Health Rankings. In the 2023 report, which was released this summer, Kansas now ranks 29th. In 2014, In this episode we examine various health factors in the report to look for the trends and reasons why health in Kansas is backsliding. What is Kansas doing right, and...

In Part 2 of our series on why Kansas cities and counties should support Medicaid expansion we look at the economic factors and impact on the Kansas workforce. We also talk through how Medicaid expansion is a critical policy to help the thousands of Kansans experiencing homelessness, and the cities and counties that fund programs to help them. In this episode, we'll tackle the following questions:...

Although Medicaid expansion is a policy that must be passed by the Kansas Legislature, that doesn't mean that local governments, like city & county governments, shouldn't be in the conversation. Medicaid expansion brings many benefits to local governments, and it's important that they stay involved in the state-level conversation In this Part 1 episode, we talk about how local governments can...

In this episode we take a look at the last 15 years of health in the United States and Kansas, specifically walking through the events that led Kansas to be one of the last 10 states to expand our Medicaid program. The Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010, and most parts of the law came into effect on January 1, 2014. What happened between those two dates that led to Kansas go...

In this episode we talk about the Storycorps Training that we recently held in Wichita, including how even our best contingency plans didn't prepare us for what we encountered. Plus: stories are one of the most powerful tools that advocates can use to effect policy change. We talk about why stories of Kansans living in the health insurance coverage gap are so critical to our work, and what you can...

In this episode, we break down what Medicaid Expansion isn't, so you can better understand what it is. We answer many questions we hear from everyday Kansans, including the following: > Is Medicaid expansion a federal mandate for states? > Will Medicaid expansion harm Kansans with disabilities? > How will nursing homes be affected by Medicaid expansion? > Will Medicaid expansion really...

To kick off Season 2o of Health in the 34th, Marissa, April and Lacey catch up on what happened during the 2024 Kansas legislative session and talk about what is to come for the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas and Medicaid expansion in Kansas.

This bonus episode features the full audio from the press conference held by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly in Winfield, KS, on September 20, 2023. In this press conference, Governor Kelly announces her intention to make KanCare expansion her top priority for the 2024 legislative session and announces a statewide tour to bring attention to it. This episode also features the following speakers: Brian...

Work requirements are a common bargaining chip for some policymakers when legislating programs like Medicaid, SNAP and TANF. But do they really work to increase employment rates for enrollees in these programs? In this episode we talk to Laura Harker, senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, about the history of work requirements and what other states have experienced w...

Medicaid renewals have been on pause since 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. But now renewals have resumed, and thousands of Kansans will need to provide documentation to show eligibility for KanCare. But many KanCare recipients haven't had to go through the renewal process, and many others have moved or otherwise had a change of situation since the last time they have renewed. We talk...

"...hardworking Kansans and families are going without the care they need. Some are getting very ill, and some are even dying because of this. They don't have access to care." -- Carol Bush, Kansas nurseNurses, more than many others, see the effects of a lack of health insurance has on people who live in the coverage gap. They work everyday for their communities and the people who live in them, an...

This bonus episode features the full audio from the Rally for KanCare Expansion held March 15, 2023.

The Rally for KanCare Expansion took place March 15, 2023 at the Kansas Statehouse. Join the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas team as we recap and share our favorite moments from the rally.

Matt Kleinmann, Director of Community Development with Vibrant Health in Kansas City, KS, talks about his work at the intersection of public health and architecture and how expanding Kansas' Medicaid program, KanCare, is just one of the pieces of the healthy spaces puzzle.