Talking Points for Medicaid Expansion

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Expand KanCare: Just the Facts

KanCare expansion is a fiscally responsible Kansas-based solution that will bring hundreds of millions of your federal tax dollars back home to Kansas and create jobs, boost our economy, protect hospitals, and improve the health of Kansans.

More than 150,000 Kansans fall into a health coverage gap. They earn too much to qualify for KanCare but not enough to be eligible to get financial help to buy private insurance. These are hard working men and women who are left with few options for affordable health coverage. To close that gap, a diverse coalition of over 100 business, civic, and health care organizations from across the state have come together to form the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas — urging our state to expand KanCare now.

Expanding KanCare will create thousands of jobs and return hundreds of millions of tax dollars to our state every year

• Expanding KanCare will inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the Kansas economy and create more than 3,800 new jobs.
• Kansas does not save money by refusing expansion — it simply gives up the opportunity to bring our tax dollars back to the state. Nearly all the costs of expansion are covered by the federal government. Under federal law, at least 90% of the costs of expanding KanCare will be funded by our own federal tax dollars coming back from Washington, DC.
• Expansion saves money for states. Other states that have chosen to responsibly expand Medicaid are seeing substantial revenue growth and budget savings on other services.

Expanding KanCare will protect hospitals and communities

•  All hospitals are at risk— not expanding KanCare could limit access to health care in rural and urban communities.
• One-third of the rural hospitals in Kansas — more than 30 hospitals — are considered financially vulnerable. Expanding KanCare could mean the difference between staying open or closing their doors.

Expanding KanCare would improve health and financial security for 150,000 Kansans and increase access to preventive care.

• Expanding KanCare will provide health coverage to individuals and families who fall into the coverage gap — Kansans who work for a living but earn too much to qualify for the current program, but too little to get financial help to buy a private plan.
• Expansion increases access to primary and preventive care, reduces the cost of uncompensated care, and enhances continuity of coverage, which improves health and reduces costs.
• Expanding KanCare saves lives. States that have expanded experience lower mortality.

Thirty-six states and DC have taken advantage of this opportunity. It's time for Kansas to join them. For more information, visit the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas website athttp://ExpandKanCare.com.

A L L I A N C E  F O R  A  HEALTHY KANSAS

Expand KanCare: How You Can Help

Contact your personal legislators Now by sending a pre-written email letter, HERE

Join the Alliance For A Healthy Kansas at http://expandkancare.com.

To share stories about your members who fall in the coverage gap, email nicholas@expandkancare.com or submit them using our website, http://expandkancare.com/share-your-story/

Contact your legislators to urge them to Expand KanCare using the Alliance's website, http://www.expandkancare.com/get-involved/

Join the campaign on Twitter: @ExpandKanCare and Facebook: http://facebook.com/ExpandKanCare/

Use #ExpandKanCare and #ksleg to promote KanCare expansion on social media.

Reach out to faith leaders, business leaders, and leaders of community organizations you know and ask them to join the Alliance. More info at http://expandkancare.com/who-we-are/