APRIL 30, 2019
The living faith tradition of the Catholic Church inspires us, the Catholic
Bishops of Kansas, to support the principle that all people should have
access to health care. Expansion of Medicaid to cover individuals who
cannot currently afford health insurance would help bring an end to the
uncertainty and fear that the uninsured of our society must live with daily.
We continue to endorse Medicaid Expansion. However, our endorsement
comes with serious reservations and grave concerns about several aspects
contained in the current bill. The recent ruling by the State Supreme Court
enshrining abortion as a Kansas Constitutional right is one of many
existing and emerging concerns about what might be considered Medicaid-
eligible healthcare.
Although no likely alternative to Medicaid Expansion is apparent, it is our
belief that the current bill can be greatly improved upon. Therefore, we call
upon and encourage the Kansas Senate to convene an interim committee
to further study, discuss and resolve, to the extent possible, our grave
concerns.
We are confident that the Kansas Legislature and the Governor will
continue their work toward a Medicaid Expansion law that is not only
morally responsible, but truly serves the common good. We expect and
anticipate such a measure to be fully debated and voted upon as the initial
major bill of the 2020 legislative session.