Healthcare

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 249: Establishing the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) advisory committee to prevent FASD and provide for treatment and support for affected individuals and their families.

SB 249 establishes an FASD advisory committee to prevent fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and improve support for affected individuals and families. The committee, composed of state agency leaders and public members (including those with FASD or family experience), will develop a statewide strategic plan to reduce prenatal alcohol exposure, coordinate existing state programs, and create new screening and intervention services. It must submit annual reports to the governor and legislature starting in 2026, focusing on prevention, diagnosis, and support services. The bill directly affects Kansans with FASD, their families, and state agencies like health, education, and children’s services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates FASD advisory committee to prevent disorder, coordinate public health programs, and develop screening/intervention services, advancing public health initiatives.90% confidence

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 172: Prohibiting a school from excluding a child who has been exposed to an infectious or contagious disease without an isolation or quarantine order.

SB 172 prevents Kansas schools and child care facilities from excluding students who have been exposed to infectious diseases (like measles or flu) unless a local health official issues a formal isolation or quarantine order. It directly affects children and families by ensuring schools cannot bar students based solely on potential exposure without official health authority approval. The bill requires health departments to issue such orders for any exclusion, and specifies that any exclusion must last no longer than the order’s duration. This replaces the previous rule allowing schools to exclude students based on suspected exposure without health department involvement.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents schools from excluding students exposed to disease without health orders, ensuring uninterrupted educational access and protecting student attendance rights.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires health departments to issue quarantine orders for school exclusions, ensuring public health protocols govern student access rather than arbitrary policies. Strengthens public health oversight in school settings.90% confidence

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 150: Prohibiting the denial of coverage for the refilling of prescription topical eye medication.

SB 150 requires most health insurance plans in Kansas to cover refills of prescription topical eye medication for chronic eye conditions. It applies to insured individuals who need refills before the end of their prescribed dosage period (after at least 75% of the medication has been used) and only if their prescriber authorized refills. Insurance plans cannot deny this coverage if these specific conditions are met. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, for policies issued or renewed after that date.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for essential eye medication refills, improving access to chronic condition treatment without coverage denials.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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signed · Kansas · House Mar 13, 2026

HB 2223: Modifying certain provisions of the optometry law relating to scope of practice, definitions and credentialing requirements.

HB 2223 modifies Kansas optometry law to expand what optometrists can legally do. It specifically allows optometrists to prescribe and dispense oral medications (not just topical drugs) for treating eye conditions like adult open-angle glaucoma, and adds new procedures to their scope of practice such as laser capsulotomy and certain eyelid treatments. The bill clarifies that optometrists cannot perform surgery or use general anesthesia, but they may provide pre- and post-operative care for surgeries like cataract removal. This directly affects licensed optometrists in Kansas by changing their legal authority to diagnose, treat, and manage eye health conditions under updated standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands optometrists' scope to prescribe oral meds and new procedures, improving patient access to eye care services without surgery.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 189: Providing injured employees the freedom of choice to designate their healthcare provider and requiring the employer to pay for the services of such healthcare provider with regard to workers compensation.

SB 189 allows injured workers in Kansas to choose their own healthcare provider for workers' compensation treatment, requiring employers to cover the costs of that provider's services. The bill amends state law to establish this choice as standard practice, while maintaining a $800 cap on employer coverage for initial visits without prior approval. This applies to all workers covered under Kansas workers' compensation, giving employees greater control over their medical care decisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows injured workers to choose healthcare providers, requiring employer coverage, enhancing patient autonomy and access under workers' compensation.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAllows injured workers to choose healthcare provider, requiring employer to pay, expanding worker benefits and protecting rights under workers' compensation.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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signed · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2365: Adding and removing certain substances in schedules I, III and IV of the uniform controlled substances act and making conforming changes to the criminal code definition of fentanyl-related controlled substances.

HB 2365 establishes the South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital in Wichita, Kansas, to expand mental health care access in south-central Kansas, specifically serving Sedgwick County and surrounding areas. The bill creates a dedicated "South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital Fee Fund" managed by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, which will collect and allocate funds from patient charges and operations. It also directs the department to establish an extension to the state security hospital in Larned for housing patients committed by courts, transferred from correctional facilities, or requiring specialized mental health care. This facility aims to address regional mental health bed shortages without altering existing criminal law provisions referenced in the bill text.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes new mental health hospital and dedicated funding to expand access in south-central Kansas, directly advancing mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Mental Health

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2370: Requiring additional licensing requirements for assisted living facilities with dementia care.

HB 2370 creates a special "assisted living facility with dementia care" certification for facilities offering dementia or memory care services in Kansas. To earn this certification, facilities must ensure staff complete state-approved dementia training, maintain adequate staffing levels, provide specific activity programs tailored to dementia needs, and avoid using the specialty designation without certification. The bill requires facilities to display this certification on their license and prohibits using the dementia care label if they don't meet the standards. Residents and their families are directly affected as the certification aims to ensure higher quality care through standardized staff training and programming. Facilities must comply within 12 months of the law's enactment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates dementia training, staffing standards, and certification to improve care quality in assisted living facilities serving dementia patients.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2399: Establishing an advance universal newborn screening program, providing for the reimbursement of certain treatment services and extending the transfer of moneys to the Kansas newborn screening fund.

HB 2399 establishes a universal newborn screening program in Kansas to detect genetic conditions like phenylketonuria, hypothyroidism, and galactosemia shortly after birth. All infants born in Kansas will receive free initial screening tests, and families with diagnosed infants will receive support for treatment costs based on income levels. Families at or below 300% of the federal poverty level receive 50-100% reimbursement for treatment products, while higher-income families receive up to 50% coverage, with Medicaid covering eligible cases. The program also requires a registry for follow-up care and extends funding to the Kansas newborn screening fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds via Kansas newborn screening fund for free newborn screenings and treatment reimbursements, directly funding an essential public health program.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes free newborn screening and reimburses treatment costs for low-income families, expanding access to preventive healthcare services and funding public health initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2314: Directing the secretary for aging and disability services to expand and establish peer support specialist certifications and the secretary for health and environment to pursue a medicaid code for telehealth services provided by peer support specialists.

HB 2314 establishes new certification standards for peer support specialists in Kansas, requiring background checks and setting limits on weekly service hours (30 hours for Level 1, 40 for Level 2). It directs the Secretary of Health and Environment to seek Medicaid reimbursement for telehealth services provided by certified specialists, making these services eligible for state Medicaid coverage. The bill affects peer support specialists, their clients receiving services, and Medicaid programs by creating clear certification rules and expanding telehealth access. Key provisions include mandatory criminal history checks, training session caps, and allowing non-licensed professionals to provide supervision.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareDirects Medicaid reimbursement for peer support telehealth services, expanding coverage and access to mental health support under state Medicaid program.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2386: Updating income eligibility requirements for the state children's health insurance program.

HB 2386 updates Kansas' children's health insurance program (KCHIP) by changing income eligibility thresholds. For 2009, eligibility remains at 225% of the federal poverty level, but increases to 250% for 2010 and later years. The bill also adds an 8-month waiting period for new applicants with family income above 200% of the federal poverty level, unless prior coverage ended due to job loss or employer discontinuation. This change directly affects low-income children aged 0-19 in households meeting the updated income criteria, expanding access to health coverage for more families. The program continues to use a sliding-fee scale for payments based on family income.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases KCHIP income eligibility from 225% to 250% FPL, expanding coverage for low-income children aged 0-19.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Medicaid

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