Expanding medical assistance eligibility and enacting the healthcare access for working Kansans (HAWK) act.
Impact
One of the notable impacts of SB257 is its directive for the Secretary of Health and Environment to establish necessary rules and regulations to implement this expanded eligibility. Additionally, the bill requires that applicants must provide employment verification to ensure they meet the new eligibility criteria. Furthermore, it mandates the Secretary to submit various requests for plan amendments to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to facilitate the ongoing implementation of this act.
Summary
Senate Bill 257, known as the Healthcare Access for Working Kansans (HAWK) Act, aims to expand medical assistance eligibility in Kansas. The bill proposes that starting January 1, 2026, adults under 65 who are not pregnant and have incomes at or below 138% of the federal poverty level will qualify for medical assistance through Kansas's healthcare program. This initiative is presented as a move to enhance healthcare access for working individuals and families who currently find themselves outside the threshold for receiving benefits.
Contention
While the bill's proponents argue that extending medical assistance will significantly benefit low-income working individuals, the measure could face scrutiny regarding its long-term sustainability, particularly if federal financial assistance fluctuates. A key point of contention may arise if the federal medical assistance percentage drops below 90%, which would trigger a phase-out of coverage under this act. Moreover, the lack of abortion coverage under the HAWK Act unless mandated by federal law could also be a topic of debate among legislators and constituencies with differing views on reproductive rights.
Requiring job search instead of a 20-hour work week for child care subsidy eligibility, allowing food assistance funds for advertising food assistance programs and modifying penalties for non-cooperation for all assistance programs.
House Substitute for SB 287 by Committee on Health and Human Services - Prohibiting a healthcare provider from administering medication, diagnostic tests or conducting ongoing behavioral health treatments to a minor in a school facility without parental consent, enacting the no patient left alone act to require medical care facilities to allow in-person visitation in certain circumstances, expanding licensure of rural emergency hospitals that meet criteria between January 2015 and December 2020 and authorizing emergency medical responders to distribute non prescription over-the-counter medications.
Requiring custodial and non-custodial parents to cooperate with child support enforcement programs for food assistance eligibility and disqualifying such parents from food assistance for being delinquent in support payments.
Expanding the scope of the inspector general to audit and investigate all state cash, food or health assistance programs and granting the inspector general the power to subpoena, administer oaths and execute search warrants thereto.
Requiring legislative approval prior to any state agency seeking or implementing a public assistance program waiver or other authorization from the federal government that expands eligibility for any public assistance program or increases cost to the state or making certain changes in services for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities.