Governor Kelly sent a letter to Congressional leadership on Thursday urging congress to pass legislation that would create a Medicaid expansion work-around in non-expansion states.

“Kansas is one of twelve states that has failed to expand Medicaid, and this political obstruction has prevented 165,000 Kansans from accessing quality, affordable health care,” Governor Kelly said. “My administration will continue to fight for Medicaid expansion at the state level, but until then, this federal legislation will allow us to bypass the self-destructive politics pushed by the Republican leaders in the statehouse and bring resources, jobs, and life-saving healthcare to our state.”

In a press release issued Thursday, Kelly added that passage of the Medicaid Saves Lives Act (H.R. 4595), or including similar provisions in the pending budget and reconciliation process, would allow eligible residents of non-expansion states like Kansas to access full Medicaid coverage at no additional cost to states or the federal government. Additionally, the legislation would increase federal medical assistance percentages by 10% for states that expand Medicaid; providing states like Kansas 10 years to access full funding if they choose to expand Medicaid at the state level.

Kelly’s administration went on to say that Kansas has failed to expand Medicaid despite overwhelming public approval and the predicted economic benefits including adding nearly 23,000 new jobs in the state, creating $17 billion in economic output through the year 2025, raising personal income by $6.3 billion, and saving private-sector employers up to $80.6 million.

The administration said that Medicaid expansion in Kansas would provide affordable care to 165,000 Kansans who fall into a health coverage gap, including 74,000 veterans and their spouses. It would also enhance services for mental health and substance abuse disorders as well as provide support for rural hospitals and communities.

You can view Kelly’s full letter here.