Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted

SB 271 — Updating income eligibility requirements for the state children's health insurance program and requiring the Robert G. (Bob) Bethell joint committee on home and community based services and KanCare oversight hold meetings each quarter.

Last action — Enrolled and presented to Governor on Friday, April 3, 2026

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 17, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Laura Kelly (Democratic) on April 09, 2026.

Prognosis

Advancing 50% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

319 added · 144 removed

319 line(s) added, 144 removed.

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AsAmended by House Committee {As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole} As Amended by Senate Committee Session of 2025 SENATE BILLNo.
SENATE BILL No.
271 By Committee on Ways and Means 2-17 AN ACT concerning the state children's health insurance program;
271 AN A CTconcerning public assistance;
relating to eligibility;
relating to the eligibility and oversight thereof;
updating income requirements therefor;
updating income requirements for the state children's health insurance program;
relating to the Robert G.
(Bob) Bethell joint committee on home and community based services and KanCare oversight;
requiring the committee hold meetings each quarter;
38-2001 and repealing the existing section.
38-2001 and 39-7,160 and repealing the existing sections.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
38- 2001.
38-2001.
and (7) shall provide coverage, subject to appropriation of funds and eligibility requirements, for children residing in a household having a gross household income (A) for 2009, at or under 225% of the 2008 federal poverty income guidelines and (B) for 2010 and subsequent years, SB 271—Am.
and (7) shall provide coverage, subject to appropriation of funds and eligibility requirements, for children residing in a household having a gross household income (A) for 2009, at or under 225% of the 2008 federal poverty income guidelines and (B) for 2010 and subsequent years, at or under 250% of the 2008 federal poverty income guidelines;.
by HC 2 at or under 250% of the 2008 federal poverty income guidelines;.
Rules and regulations adopted by the secretary shall establish a sliding-fee scale that charges per child covered under the plan and the secretary shall not adopt rules and regulations that establish a sliding-fee scale that charges per family {family};
Rules and regulations adopted by the secretary shall establish a sliding-fee scale that charges per family;
(c) The secretary of health and environment is authorized to contract with entities authorized to transact health insurance business in this state to implement the health insurance coverage plan pursuant to subsection (a) providing for several plan options to enrollees which are coordinated with federal and state child health care programs, except that when contracting to provide managed mental health care services the secretary of health and environment shall assure that contracted entities demonstrate the ability to provide a full array of mental health services in accordance with the early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment plan.
(c) The secretary of health and environment is authorized to SENATE BILL No.
271—page 2 contract with entities authorized to transact health insurance business in this state to implement the health insurance coverage plan pursuant to subsection (a) providing for several plan options to enrollees which are coordinated with federal and state child health care programs, except that when contracting to provide managed mental health care services the secretary of health and environment shall assure that contracted entities demonstrate the ability to provide a full array of mental health services in accordance with the early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment plan.
(2) may work with public health care providers and other community resources to provide educational programs promoting healthy lifestyles SB 271—Am.
(2) may work with public health care providers and other community resources to provide educational programs promoting healthy lifestyles and appropriate use of the plan's health services;
by HC 3 and appropriate use of the plan's health services;
38-2001, and amendments thereto, if such child's family has not paid the enrollee's applicable share of any premium due.
38- 2001, and amendments thereto, if such child's family has not paid the enrollee's applicable share of any premium due.
If the family pays all of the delinquent premiums owed during the year, such child will again be eligible for coverage for the remaining months of the continuous eligibility period. If a family is otherwise eligible for coverage and pays all of the delinquent premiums owed, such child will again be eligible for coverage at the time of renewal.
If the family pays all of the delinquent premiums owed during the year, such child will again be eligible for coverage for the remaining months of the continuous eligibility period. If a family is otherwise eligible for coverage and pays all of the delinquent premiums owed, such child will again be SENATE BILL No.
271—page 3 eligible for coverage at the time of renewal.
The secretary of health and environment shall not utilize waiting lists, but shall monitor costs of the program and make necessary SB 271—Am.
The secretary of health and environment shall not utilize waiting lists, but shall monitor costs of the program and make necessary adjustments to stay within the program's appropriations.
by HC 4 adjustments to stay within the program's appropriations.
(g) Eligibility and benefits under the plan prescribed by subsection (b)(7) are not and shall not be construed to be entitlements, are for legal residents of the state of Kansas and are subject to availability of state and federal funds and to any state and federal requirements and the provisions of appropriation acts.
(g)(f)(g) Eligibility and benefits under the plan prescribed by subsection (b)(7) are not and shall not be construed to be entitlements, are for legal residents of the state of Kansas and are subject to availability of state and federal funds and to any state and federal requirements and the provisions of appropriation acts.
38-2001 is hereby repealed.
39-7,160 is hereby amended to read as follows:
39- 7,160.
(a) There is hereby established the Robert G.
(Bob) Bethell joint committee on home and community based services and KanCare oversight.
The joint committee shall review the number of individuals who are transferred from state or private institutions and long-term care facilities to the home and community based services and the associated cost savings and other outcomes of the money-follows-the-person program.
The joint committee shall review the funding targets recommended by the interim report submitted for the 2007 legislature by the joint committee on legislative budget and use them such funding targets as guidelines for future funding planning and policy making.
The joint committee shall have oversight of savings resulting from the transfer of individuals from state or private institutions to home and community based services.
As used in K.S.A.
39-7,159 through 39- 7,162, and amendments thereto, "savings" means the difference between the average cost of providing services for individuals in an institutional setting and the cost of providing services in a home and community based setting.
The joint committee shall study and determine the effectiveness of the program and cost-analysis of the state institutions or long-term care facilities based on the success of the transfer of individuals to home and community based services.
The joint committee shall consider the issues of whether sufficient funding is provided for enhancement of wages and benefits of direct individual care workers and their staff training and whether adequate progress is being made to transfer individuals from the institutions and to move them from the waiver waiting lists to receive home and community based services.
The joint committee shall review and ensure that any proceeds resulting from the successful transfer be applied to the system of provision of services for long-term care and home and community based services.
The joint committee shall monitor and study the implementation and operations of the home and community based service programs, the children's health insurance program, the program for the all-inclusive care of the elderly and the state medicaid programs, including, but not limited to, access to and quality of services provided and any financial information and budgetary issues.
Any state agency shall provide data and information on KanCare programs, including, but not limited to, pay payment for performance measures, quality measures and enrollment and disenrollment in specific plans, KanCare provider network data and appeals and SENATE BILL No.
271—page 4 grievances made to the KanCare ombudsman, to the joint committee, as requested.
(b) The joint committee shall consist of 11 members of the legislature appointed as follows:
(1) Two members of the house committee on health and human services appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
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(2) one member of the house committee on health and human services appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;
(3) two members of the senate committee on public health and welfare appointed by the president of the senate;
(4) one member of the senate committee on public health and welfare appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
(5) two members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be a member of the house committee on appropriations;
(6) one member of the house of representatives appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;
and (7) two members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate, one of whom shall be a member of the senate committee on ways and means.
(c) Members shall be appointed for terms coinciding with the legislative terms for which such members are elected or appointed.
All members appointed to fill vacancies in the membership of the joint committee and all members appointed to succeed members appointed to membership on the joint committee shall be appointed in the manner provided for the original appointment of the member succeeded.
(d) The members originally appointed as members of the joint committee shall meet upon the call of the member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, who shall be the first chairperson, within 30 days of the effective date of this act.
The vice- chairperson vice chairperson of the joint committee shall be appointed by the president of the senate.
Chairperson and vice-chairperson vice chairperson shall alternate annually between the members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate.
The ranking minority member shall be from the same chamber as the chairperson.
On and after the effective date of this act, The joint committee shall meet at least once in January and once in April when the legislature is in regular session and at least once for each quarter with two consecutive days of meetings during each of the third and fourth calendar quarters, on the call of the chairperson, but not to exceed six meetings in a calendar year, except additional meetings may be held on call of the chairperson when urgent circumstances exist which that require such meetings.
Six members of the joint committee shall constitute a quorum.
(e) (1) At the beginning of each regular session of the legislature, the committee shall submit to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the house of representatives standing committee on health and human services and the senate standing committee on public health and welfare a written report on numbers of individuals transferred from the state or private institutions to the home and community based services, including the average daily census in the state institutions and long-term care facilities, savings resulting from the transfer certified by the secretary for aging and disability services in a quarterly report filed in accordance with K.S.A.
39-7,162, and amendments thereto, and the current balance in the home and community based services savings fund of the Kansas department for aging and disability services.
(2) Such report submitted under this subsection shall also include, but not be limited to, the following information on the KanCare program:
(A) Quality of care and health outcomes of individuals receiving SENATE BILL No.
271—page 5 state medicaid services under the KanCare program, as compared to the provision of state medicaid services prior to January 1, 2013;
(B) integration and coordination of health care procedures for individuals receiving state medicaid services under the KanCare program;
(C) availability of information to the public about the provision of state medicaid services under the KanCare program, including, but not limited to, accessibility to health services, expenditures for health services, extent of consumer satisfaction with health services provided and grievance procedures, including quantitative case data and summaries of case resolution by the KanCare ombudsman;
(D) provisions for community outreach and efforts to promote the public understanding of the KanCare program;
(E) comparison of the actual medicaid costs expended in providing state medicaid services under the KanCare program after January 1, 2013, to the actual costs expended under the provision of state medicaid services prior to January 1, 2013, including the manner in which such cost expenditures are calculated;
(F) comparison of the estimated costs expended in a managed care system of providing state medicaid services under the KanCare program after January 1, 2013, to the actual costs expended under the KanCare program of providing state medicaid services after January 1, 2013;
(G) comparison of caseload information for individuals receiving state medicaid services prior to January 1, 2013, to the caseload information for individuals receiving state medicaid services under the KanCare program after January 1, 2013;
and (H) all written testimony provided to the joint committee regarding the impact of the provision of state medicaid services under the KanCare program upon residents of adult care homes.
(3) The joint committee shall consider the external quality review reports and quality assessment and performance improvement program plans of each managed care organization providing state medicaid services under the KanCare program in the development of the report submitted under this subsection.
(4) The report submitted under this subsection shall be published on the official website of the legislative research department.
(f) Members of the committee shall have access to any medical assistance report and caseload data generated by the Kansas department of health and environment division of health care finance.
Members of the committee shall have access to any report submitted by the Kansas department of health and environment division of health care finance to the centers for medicare and medicaid services of the United States department of health and human services.
(g) Members of the committee shall be paid compensation, travel expenses and subsistence expenses or allowance as provided in K.S.A.
75-3212, and amendments thereto, for attendance at any meeting of the joint committee or any subcommittee meeting authorized by the committee.
(h) In accordance with K.S.A.
46-1204, and amendments thereto, the legislative coordinating council may provide for such professional services as may be requested by the joint committee.
(i) The joint committee may make recommendations and introduce legislation as it deems necessary in performing its functions.
3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the statute book.
3. K.S.A.
38-2001 and 39-7,160 are hereby repealed.
SENATE BILL No.
271—page 6 Sec.
4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the Kansas register.
I hereby certify that the abovILLoriginated in the SENATE, and passed that body __________________________ SENATE adopted Conference Committee Report ________________ _________________________ President of the Senate.
_________________________ Secretary of the Senate.
Passed the HOUSE as amended _________________________ H OUSEadopted Conference Committee Report ________________ _________________________ Speaker of the House.
_________________________ Chief Clerk of the House.
A PPROVED_____________________________ _________________________ Governor.
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Action History

  1. Enrolled and presented to Governor on Friday, April 3, 2026

  2. Approved by Governor on Thursday, April 9, 2026

  3. Conference Committee Report was adopted; Yea 39, Nay 0, Absent 1

  4. Conference committee report now available

  5. Conference Committee Report was adopted; Yea 125, Nay 0

  6. Nonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed Sen. Beverly Gossage, Sen. William Clifford and Sen. Cindy Holscher

  7. Motion to accede adopted; Rep. Will Carpenter, Rep. Ron Bryce and Rep. Susan Ruiz appointed as conferees

  8. Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 119, Nay 0, Absent 5

  9. Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted

  10. Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended

  11. Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by House Committee on Health and Human Services

  12. Received and Introduced

  13. Referred to House Committee on Health and Human Services

  14. Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted

  15. Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Sen. Kenny Titus

  16. Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Sen. Kenny Titus was adopted

  17. Committee of the Whole - Be passed as further amended

  18. Emergency Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 40, Nay 0

  19. Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare

  20. Referred to Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare

  21. Introduced

Sponsors

  • Committee on Ways and Means · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 164 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Committee on Ways and Means

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (164)

164 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 164 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 271?
SB 271 is sponsored by Committee on Ways and Means.
What is the current status of SB 271?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 17, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 271?
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