Washington DC – Kansas Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer, MD today participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Council of State Governments (CSG) in Washington DC. The Lieutenant Governor spoke about innovations and reforms that Kansas has used in crafting KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program.
“I appreciate the chance to share with other state leaders some of the innovative solutions we are using in Kansas,” said Dr. Colyer. “I encourage policy makers at the state level to set bold goals, and to think strategically about how to get the best healthcare outcomes for their citizens while also getting the most value from taxpayer dollars.”
Highlights of KanCare include additional health benefits like preventative dental benefits for adults, heart and lung transplants, and bariatric surgery as well as projected cost savings of more than $1 billion.
"Many states face the same challenge we do in Kansas - how do we turn the current Medicaid program which is financially unsustainable and provides fragmented services into a program that provides superior service for our most vulnerable Kansans at a more sustainable price," Colyer said.
CSG's Medicaid Policy Academy was designed for state policy experts to discuss best practices and innovation with elected state officials from across the country, and featured presentations from state Medicaid directors, federal officials, and policy organizations.