Healthcare

signed · Kansas · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 2534: Requiring school districts to provide fentanyl abuse education programs and maintain a supply of naloxone in all schools, requiring the department of education to establish guidelines for active shooter drills conducted by public and accredited nonpublic elementary and secondary schools, regulating active shooter simulations in such schools and modifying the requirements for student cohorts and achievement goals in school district at-risk student accountability plans.

HB 2534 creates an interstate agreement (compact) allowing respiratory therapists licensed in one participating state to practice in other member states without obtaining separate licenses. It directly affects licensed respiratory therapists and patients in participating states by establishing a "compact privilege" that permits practice under the laws of the state where the patient is located. Therapists must maintain an active home-state license, pass background checks, and comply with each state's scope of practice. The goal is to improve access to respiratory therapy services, support military families relocating across state lines, and address workforce shortages.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables respiratory therapists to practice across state lines, improving patient access to specialized care without additional licensing barriers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2463: Creating the rural health transformation fund, prescribing powers and duties of the state finance council concerning such fund and the rural health transformation program, crediting all federal moneys for the rural health transformation program to such fund and making and concerning appropriations for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, and June 30, 2027, for the state finance council and other state agencies.

HB 2463 establishes a dedicated "rural health transformation fund" in Kansas to manage federal funds for rural health programs. It requires all federal moneys received from programs like Medicare/Medicaid for rural health initiatives to be deposited into this fund, which is administered by the State Finance Council. The bill mandates that funds can only be spent on approved rural health programs after legislative appropriation and council review, with unspent funds to be returned to the federal government by October 1, 2032. State agencies like the Department of Health and Aging Services will use these funds for rural health services, subject to strict oversight and reporting requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes dedicated rural health fund using federal moneys for approved rural health programs, ensuring targeted funding for healthcare access in underserved areas per bill's purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 379: Authorizing the state 911 board to establish a statewide program for emergency medical dispatch and telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation, medical direction and quality assurance services.

SB 379 creates a state-level program to standardize emergency medical dispatch and telecommunicator CPR services across Kansas. It authorizes the state 911 board to establish centralized medical direction, quality assurance, and protocols for local emergency call centers (PSAPs), while allowing each PSAP to choose whether to use this state program or maintain its own services. The bill also establishes a new state fund to finance these services, funded by $300,000 from the 911 operations fund starting in 2027 and monthly interest transfers, and provides liability protection for providers unless gross negligence occurs. This directly affects local 911 centers and emergency dispatchers by offering standardized protocols and support options for medical response during emergencies.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates standardized emergency medical dispatch program with dedicated state funding, strengthening public health infrastructure for emergency response services.95% confidence

Tags Public Safety

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 360: Enacting the Kansas consumer prescription protection and accountability act and providing for regulation and registration of pharmacy benefits managers.

SB 360 regulates pharmacy audits conducted by pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) and auditing entities in Kansas. It requires 14 days' written notice before audits, mandates confidential handling of audit data, and sets strict timelines for delivering preliminary (within 60 days) and final reports (within 90 days) to pharmacies. The bill prohibits charging back funds during appeal periods, limits penalties to actual financial harm (not clerical errors), and requires pharmacist consultation for clinical audits. Pharmacies filling over 600 prescriptions weekly must consent to audits during the first five days of a month. This directly affects Kansas pharmacies, PBMs, and auditing firms by standardizing audit procedures and protecting pharmacies from unfair financial adjustments.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRegulates PBMs to protect pharmacies from unfair audits, ensuring timely reporting and limiting penalties - directly advancing patient access to prescriptions and protecting healthcare delivery integrity.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2532: Establishing an impaired provider program, expanding the grounds for disciplinary action against a licensee and providing for the reinstatement of a revoked license under the Kansas nurse practice act.

HB 2532 establishes a voluntary "impaired provider program" for Kansas nurses and other licensed nursing professionals (including registered nurses, LPNs, and nurse anesthetists) who may be impaired due to substance use, mental health conditions, or other factors affecting their practice. The program allows licensees to enter treatment instead of facing immediate disciplinary action, requiring participation in random drug/alcohol testing, evaluations, and a minimum one-year commitment. Successful completion removes disciplinary records and protects participation confidentiality, while expanding the grounds for disciplinary action for other violations. This bill replaces punitive processes with rehabilitation options for eligible licensees under the Kansas Nurse Practice Act.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareVoluntary impaired provider program offers treatment instead of disciplinary action for nurses, supporting healthcare workforce safety and patient protection through rehabilitation pathways.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Mental Health

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2445: Enacting the health care sharing ministries tax deduction act to provide a subtraction modification for qualified health care sharing expenses paid by a qualified individual and certain qualified health care shares received by a qualified individual.

HB 2445 creates a Kansas tax deduction for residents who pay expenses to health care sharing ministries (nonprofit organizations that facilitate voluntary medical expense sharing among members with shared beliefs, not insurance). It allows eligible Kansas taxpayers to subtract qualified health care sharing expenses (including membership fees and administrative costs) from their state income tax calculation. The bill also specifies that money received from these ministries to cover medical costs is not considered taxable income for Kansas tax purposes. This applies only to Kansas residents who are members of qualifying ministries for at least one month during the tax year, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates a tax deduction for health care sharing expenses, reducing taxable income for eligible residents. This provides direct tax relief, aligning with support indicators for fiscal relief.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates tax deduction for health care sharing ministry expenses, promoting alternative healthcare coverage options as a form of expanded access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 409: Requiring that a no cost-sharing requirement be imposed on insureds for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations for breast cancer.

SB 409 requires health insurance plans in Kansas to cover diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations for breast cancer without any out-of-pocket costs (like deductibles or copays) for policyholders. This applies to exams used to evaluate suspicious findings detected during screening or other exams, as well as exams for high-risk individuals (e.g., those with family history or dense breast tissue). The law takes effect January 1, 2027, for new or renewed plans, with HSA-qualified plans still required to cover these as preventive care under federal law. It does not affect existing coverage but mandates no cost-sharing for these specific exams when provided under the defined guidelines.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates no cost-sharing for breast cancer diagnostic exams, expanding insurance coverage and improving patient access to critical screening services without financial barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Primary Care

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 328: Permitting a pharmacist to distribute pre-measured doses of epinephrine to a school for emergency medication kits.

SB 328 allows pharmacists to provide stock epinephrine auto-injectors to Kansas schools for emergency use in treating severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). It updates school medication policies to include these kits, requiring a doctor or nurse practitioner's prescription in the school's name, and shields pharmacists from liability when distributing them. This directly affects public and private schools by enabling them to maintain emergency medication kits without requiring individual student prescriptions for each incident.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enables schools to maintain emergency epinephrine kits for student safety, enhancing school health infrastructure and supporting educational access by ensuring safe learning environments.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables schools to maintain emergency epinephrine kits, improving access to life-saving treatment for allergic reactions. This strengthens public health response and patient access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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signed · Kansas · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 2509: Allowing licensed physical therapists to perform certain capillary blood tests, adding advanced practice registered nurse to the definition of healthcare provider for purposes of the healthcare provider insurance availability act, adding an advanced practice registered nurse position to the board of governors of the healthcare stabilization fund and requiring advance practice registered nurses to maintain professional liability insurance as a condition of active licensure.

HB 2509 amends Kansas law to explicitly include "licensed advanced practice registered nurse" (specifically those authorized as nurse-midwives) in the definition of "healthcare provider" under the Healthcare Provider Insurance Availability Act. This change directly affects advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who practice as nurse-midwives, ensuring they qualify under the same professional liability insurance requirements as other defined healthcare providers. The bill modifies K.S.A. 40-3401 to add new subsections (S) and (U) to the definition, aligning APRNs with existing categories like physicians and nurses. This adjustment ensures APRNs are covered by the state's framework for professional liability insurance availability, without altering insurance benefits or costs. The bill is currently pending in the Health and Human Services Committee.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly includes nurse-midwives in healthcare provider definition for insurance requirements, enabling expanded access to care by removing barriers for APRNs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2566: Enacting the every body can move act to mandate the coverage and payment for prosthetic and orthotic devices in health insurance policies.

HB 2566, the "Every Body Can Move Act," mandates that all health insurance policies sold in Kansas must cover prosthetic and orthotic devices at the same level required by federal law (42 U.S.C. § 1395k et seq.). It directly affects insured individuals needing these devices and insurers offering health coverage in Kansas, requiring coverage for devices that meet medical needs for daily activities, physical functions (like running or swimming), and bathing. Key provisions include covering all necessary materials, user instruction, and replacements under specific conditions (e.g., physiological changes or repair costs exceeding 60% of replacement), while prohibiting denial of coverage based on disability. The law takes effect January 11, 2027, and ensures access to at least two in-network providers for these devices.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for prosthetic/orthotic devices, expanding access to essential medical equipment for daily activities and physical functions.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransMandates prosthetic/orthotic coverage for all insured, directly benefiting veterans needing such devices for healthcare access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Tags People with Disabilities

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