Proposal would delay KanCare health home expansion

Sen. Jim Denning, Republican from Overland Park,
drafted a budget proviso to delay health home implementation.  

The Senate Ways and Means Committee has adopted a budget proviso that's expected to delay the implementation of "health homes" for certain KanCare patients.

The proviso, drafted by Sen. Jim Denning, stipulates that no state money shall be spent on KanCare health homes for chronic conditions without the Legislature's explicit consent through June 30, 2017.

"I don't think we should be pushing another (health home) program until we see how the first one works," Denning said according to KHI News.

"We have anecdotal information from the mental health centers that it (health home model) is working and the advocates say they like it," he said. "But I think we need to wait until we have some hard outcome measures to see if A) it's actually improving patient care and B) it's bending the cost curve.

Denning's proviso is expected to pass the Senate and likely meet little resistance from the House.

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