Background

In January of 2011, Governor Sam Brownback charged Lt. Governor Jeff Colyer, MD, and a working group of cabinet members with the task of fundamentally reforming Medicaid to improve outcomes and establish financial sustainability in the face of mounting uncertainty.

Kansas faces major challenges in its Medicaid program that require swift and effective policy changes to continue serving vulnerable Kansans. The Governor’s FY 2012 budget sustained Medicaid through the current fiscal year and provided Kansas the time to reinvent its Medicaid program to better serve Kansans in need and maintain fiscal responsibility.

Lt. Governor Colyer and the Working Group reached out to thousands of Kansans to help in the effort. The Administration sought public input through an open process that included a Request for Information, public forums in each congressional district, a web survey, stakeholder workgroups and countless individual meetings with consumers, advocates, and providers.

The vision statement outlined at the beginning of the process remains and was confirmed by the participation of Kansans from every corner of the state:

To serve Kansans in need with a transformed, fiscally sustainable Medicaid program that provides high-quality, holistic care and promotes personal responsibility.

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