AGP Executive Report

Kansas Health Policy: In the final stretch of the governor’s race, Democrat Cindy Holscher said Medicaid expansion could improve access and lower costs; Republican Ty Masterson pointed to hospital funding assessments and higher Medicaid reimbursements. Wichita Health Plan Recovery: About 7,000 people affected by failed Medova Healthcare will share $23 million in recovered funds after valid claims went unpaid. Some patients were billed directly or sent to collections, and the payout may not cover all their losses. Rural Care: Kansas has opened applications for rural health grants as rural hospitals across the country brace for 2027 Medicaid cuts and lawmakers consider support for struggling facilities.

Family Prevention: Kansas DCF awarded grants for programs aimed at keeping children safely with their families and out of foster care. The state says these services have helped more than 8,300 children since 2019. Support for Survivors: Gov. Laura Kelly announced $10.8 million for 64 Kansas victim-service organizations, funding crisis counseling, mental-health support, shelter and other services. Emporia’s SOS will receive nearly $195,000. Housing and Health: Kansas Spanish Speakers is awaiting a decision on a potential $500,000 Kansas Health Foundation grant to help build four furnished homes in Emporia, with backup funding plans if the award falls through.

Rural Hospitals: Kansas facilities face looming pressure as federal Medicaid changes are set to begin in 2027. Proposed relief bills have not passed, raising concern that rural families could face longer trips for emergency and maternity care. Health Coverage: Kansas’ 2027 ACA rates are not final, with open enrollment just days away. Crisis Support: Pawnee reports rising demand for crisis services and has secured $200,000 in new funding. Patient Care: Newman Regional Health has launched remote patient monitoring, bringing follow-up care to patients outside the clinic. Fraud Recovery: More than 7,000 victims are set to receive compensation in a $23 million Kansas health care fraud case.

Health Care Fraud: Federal prosecutors recovered $23 million for 7,000 people whose health plan premiums were diverted while their medical claims went unpaid. Mental Health: Pawnee Mental Health Services handled 550 crisis calls and 219 mobile responses in three months, and secured about $200,000 to continue free community training. Senior Care: Kansas Silver Haired Legislature delegates are urging continued funding for senior transportation, in-home care and stronger Medicaid support; reliable rides can determine whether older adults make it to appointments. School Health: A norovirus outbreak sickened nearly 100 students and staff at a Kansas elementary school. Medical Debt: Kansas debt-relief efforts are drawing attention, but it remains unclear which balances the program will erase.

Employee Health Costs: Abilene officials are weighing a self-funded health plan for 2027 that could save about $79,000, but contracts are still being revised. School Health: A norovirus outbreak sickened 97 people at an Overland Park elementary school; sanitizer won’t stop the virus, so soap-and-water handwashing matters. Medical Research: A KU professor is leading a $4 million effort to help physicians detect and treat disease. KU researchers also received $664,872 to study a fitness program for adults with disabilities. Rural Care: KDHE has opened applications for grants aimed at improving rural health services in Kansas.

Children’s Health Coverage: Children’s Mercy says families with the Select by Medica plan will lose in-network coverage at the hospital in 2027. Coverage continues through Dec. 31, and financial counselors are contacting affected families about options. Aging at Home: Preliminary results from a Kansas pilot involving 121 Medicaid recipients found participants spent less than half as many days in nursing homes after receiving in-home support and AI-based monitoring. Researchers also reported lower depression and loneliness scores. Family Support: Kansas awarded more than $20 million in grants for services intended to keep children safely with their families, including mental-health care, substance-use treatment and parenting support. Catholic Charities also opened a Concordia family support center offering basic necessities, housing assistance and connections to affordable counseling. Norovirus: Johnson County says the outbreak at an Overland Park elementary school caused at least 97 illnesses, with the actual count likely higher; the outbreak has ended.

Healthy Aging: Kansas is working to make health systems more age-friendly, a timely focus as the state plans care for older residents. Research and Fitness: KU researchers won a five-year, $665,000 grant to test an adapted fitness program for adults with mobility disabilities. A separate $4 million grant will support KU-led nanotechnology research aimed at detecting disease through protein analysis. Environmental Health: The EPA has ordered companies tied to decades of chemical spills in Olathe to develop a new cleanup plan. Officials say trichloroethylene in groundwater could be spreading toward nearby homes. Infection Control: Johnson County says the norovirus outbreak at an Overland Park elementary school has ended, after nearly 100 reported illnesses; the true count may be higher. Rural Care: Kansas opened applications for rural health grants, while Manhattan’s Ascension Via Christi is preparing to expand partnerships as a regional anchor hospital in the state’s Rural Health Transformation Project.

Veterans’ Recovery: Douglas County’s Veterans Treatment Court marked its first year after helping seven veterans connect with mental health and addiction services and rebuild their lives. Mental Health: Kansas State University researchers found that physical activity may help reduce depression risk and symptoms among adults with a genetic predisposition to the illness. Cancer Care: A Garden City mother’s 380-mile trips for breast cancer treatment highlight the strain rural patients face; meanwhile, Freeman opened a $14 million oncology expansion in Southeast Kansas, and Salina’s Fe for a Cure raised a record $100,686 for local cancer patient services. Rural Health: KDHE has opened applications for Kansas rural health grants. School Health: A norovirus outbreak sickened nearly 100 people at a Johnson County elementary school; officials said the actual count may be higher.

Rural Health: Kansas has opened applications for rural health grants, as communities face ongoing concerns about access to care. Norovirus: An outbreak at an Overland Park elementary school has ended after 97 reported illnesses; Johnson County officials say the actual count may be higher. Medical Debt: Kansas debt relief is canceling some medical bills, but key details about who qualifies and what remains unpaid are still unclear. Cancer Care: Freeman marked a $14 million expansion of oncology services in southeast Kansas. Family Support: A new guide aims to help Kansas parents navigate developmental-disability diagnoses and find reliable resources.

Rural Health: KDHE has opened applications for rural health grants, as Kansas communities seek to preserve access to care. Safe Water: Boil-water advisories in Hoisington and Lebo have been lifted after testing. Care Costs: Kansas medical-debt relief offers help, but questions remain about what debts it covers. Children’s Care: Children’s Mercy is set to leave some ACA marketplace plans in 2027, raising concerns for Kansas City families who rely on the hospital. School Health: Nearly 100 students and staff fell ill in a norovirus outbreak at a Kansas elementary school; local health officials later said the outbreak was over. Cancer Services: Freeman marked the opening of a $14 million oncology expansion in southeast Kansas.

Water Safety: Hoisington’s boil-water advisory was lifted after lab tests found no bacterial contamination; KDHE also rescinded Lebo’s advisory. Cancer Care: Freeman opened a $14 million expansion of oncology services in southeast Kansas, adding capacity for local patients. Rural Hospitals: Rural facilities made up about 15% of tracked U.S. hospital workforce cuts this year, up from under 10% last year. Health leaders warn that staffing and service losses can strain rural access even when hospitals stay open. Infectious Disease: A norovirus outbreak sickened nearly 100 students and staff at a Kansas elementary school; local health officials have since declared it over. Farm Health: Kansas officials are reminding poultry owners to strengthen biosecurity as avian flu spreads among birds.

Medical Debt Relief: Nearly 27,000 Kansans are slated to receive notices that their medical bills have been forgiven through a program that purchased more than $42 million in debt. Recipients do not need to apply. Rural Hospital Care: Rural hospitals accounted for 15% of tracked U.S. hospital workforce reductions through mid-October. Experts warn that staffing cuts can erode services even when hospitals stay open. Avian Flu: The virus has been detected in one Kansas dairy herd, and health officials urge poultry owners to strengthen biosecurity and avoid handling sick or dead wildlife. Cancer Care: Freeman is marking the opening of a $14 million expansion of oncology services in southeast Kansas. Local Health: Johnson County says the Overland Park elementary school norovirus outbreak is over; nearly 100 people were reported sick, and officials said the true count may be higher. Kansas City is also offering free flu shots and health screenings at 18th and Vine this weekend.

Cancer Care: Freeman Health System has completed a $14 million expansion of its oncology clinic in Pittsburg, tripling the facility’s size and adding advanced imaging, targeted radiation and a dedicated chemotherapy area. School Health: Nearly 100 students and staff at a Johnson County elementary school were sickened in a norovirus outbreak; officials say it has ended, though the true case count may be higher. Safe Water: KDHE lifted Lebo’s boil-water advisory after tests found no bacterial contamination and repairs addressed the pressure loss that prompted the warning. Breast Cancer: Kansas’ Early Detection Works program is promoting screening and early diagnosis, which can improve survival.

School Health: A norovirus outbreak at Bentwood Elementary in Olathe has ended after at least 97 students, staff and family members became ill. Johnson County officials say the actual count may be higher; no hospitalizations were reported. Environmental Health: The Army says cleanup at the former Sunflower ammunition plant is slowing, but it still needs funding to investigate PFAS contamination near a former fire station in Johnson County. Rural Care: Rice Community Hospital in Lyons is fundraising to bring MRI services in-house. Patients now face waits of about two weeks or trips to larger cities for scans. Animal Health: Bird flu has been confirmed at a Kansas gamebird operation, and state officials are reminding poultry owners to take precautions.

School Health: Johnson County says the norovirus outbreak at Bentwood Elementary is over after 97 reported illnesses, though the true count may be higher. Mental Health: Wichita’s COMCARE team continues offering support to people affected by the deadly Stryker Sports Complex crash, and says anyone struggling for more than a few weeks should seek help. Prevention: DEA Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, with more than 500 drop-off sites across the Kansas City area for safe medication disposal. Rural Care: Kansas health initiatives are spotlighting uninsured children and the need to keep care close to home for rural families.

Norovirus Update: An outbreak at Olathe’s Bentwood Elementary sickened 95 students and staff, plus two family members. No hospitalizations were reported, and Johnson County health officials say the outbreak is over. Youth Safety: Derby Recreation Commission received a CPR training kit to help prepare staff and community members for cardiac emergencies in youth sports. Breast Cancer: A Kansas City University physician says early detection and newer treatments have lifted breast cancer survival to about 92%; survival exceeds 99% when cancer is found in the breast. Rural Health Access: Kansas awarded $12.9 million in broadband grants for projects in 44 rural counties, helping expand access to telehealth. Poultry Health: State agriculture officials are urging Kansas poultry owners to tighten biosecurity as migrating wild birds raise the risk of avian flu.