Healthcare

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 363: Requiring the department of health and environment (KDHE) to seek federal approval for continuous medicaid eligibility for certain individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities receiving services through a home and community based services waiver, directing state agencies to report to certain legislative committees on Kansans losing public assistance program eligibility, requiring the Kansas department for children and families and KDHE to enter into data-matching agreements with state agencies to verify eligibility for food and medical assistance and KDHE to submit certain data to the centers for medicare and medicaid services, prohibiting certain public assistance waivers or exemptions without legislative approval and self-attestation for purposes of determining eligibility for public assistance, requiring quarterly eligibility redeterminations for medical assistance and providing exceptions for certain individuals, limiting retroactive enrollment in medical assistance, immediately terminating eligibility for medical assistance upon confirmation of death of the enrollee, increasing the age limit for able-bodied adults without certain dependents and prohibiting certain exemptions from work requirements under the food assistance program.

SB 363 requires Kansas health and children's agencies to verify eligibility for food and medical assistance using mandatory data-sharing agreements with state agencies (e.g., vital records for death confirmation, labor data for employment changes). It prohibits self-attestation for eligibility, mandates quarterly medical assistance eligibility reviews, and requires immediate termination upon death confirmation. The bill also increases the age limit for able-bodied adults without dependents in medical assistance, restricts work requirement exemptions, and limits retroactive enrollment. These changes directly affect Kansas residents applying for or receiving food or medical assistance programs administered by the state.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts healthcare access by eliminating self-attestation, mandating frequent eligibility reviews, limiting retroactive enrollment, and increasing age limits for medical assistance eligibility.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare

Track

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 428: Requiring the secretary for children and families and the secretary of health and environment to execute a memorandum of understanding, data use agreement or other written data-sharing instrument upon written request of the United States department of agriculture or the United States department of health and human services and comply with data requests from such federal agencies.

SB 428 requires Kansas' Secretary for Children and Families and Secretary of Health and Environment to create formal data-sharing agreements with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) upon written request. These agreements would enable the state to share relevant data with federal agencies to support programs like food assistance (USDA) and healthcare (HHS). The bill mandates that state secretaries comply with written data requests from federal agencies within 30 days after such agreements are in place. This bill directly affects Kansas state agencies that administer public assistance programs and federal agencies managing national benefit programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables data sharing with HHS for healthcare programs, facilitating federal program coordination without direct funding or policy changes.85% confidence

Track

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 333: Prohibiting the use of fluoride additives in public water supplies.

SB 333 prohibits the addition of fluoride to public water supplies in Kansas. It amends Kansas statutes (including K.S.A. 65-171m) to explicitly state that no drinking water standard may require fluoride addition, removing fluoridation as an option for water districts. The bill affects all public water systems serving residents, eliminating the current process where boards could fluoridate water after public notice or voter approval. Key provisions repeal existing language allowing fluoridation and require water systems to comply with standards that do not mandate fluoride. This change directly alters how public water systems manage water treatment.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill eliminates fluoridation, a proven public health measure for dental prevention, restricting a preventive healthcare initiative in water systems.95% confidence

Track

passed · Kansas · Senate Mar 20, 2026

SB 390: House Substitute for SB 390 by Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources - Prohibiting certain additives in food provided by schools as part of certain federal food service programs and permitting federal pesticide warning or labeling requirements to satisfy any state pesticide warning or labeling requirements.

SB 390 prohibits Kansas schools participating in federal meal programs (like school lunch or breakfast programs) from serving foods containing 13 specific additives, including artificial colors (red 3, yellow 5), preservatives (BHA, BVO), and others, starting with the 2027-2028 school year. It directly affects all public and nonpublic Kansas schools serving free or reduced-price meals to students in grades K-12. Schools must certify compliance during annual inspections and submit corrective action plans if violations occur, posting these plans online for one year. The law amends Kansas food safety regulations to ban these additives in school meals, focusing on transparency and accountability for school food providers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits harmful additives (e.g., artificial colors) in school meals, directly improving public health outcomes through safer food service in federally supported programs.85% confidence

Track

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2531: Permitting a licensed chiropractor to evaluate and provide written clearance to a school athlete who has been removed from a sport competition or practice session pursuant to the school sports head injury prevention act.

HB 2531 modifies Kansas' School Sports Head Injury Prevention Act to allow licensed chiropractors (with approved postgraduate concussion training) to evaluate and provide written clearance for school athletes removed from sports due to suspected head injuries. This directly affects student-athletes, their parents/guardians (who must sign annual concussion forms), and school districts (which must distribute concussion information). The key change expands the list of eligible healthcare providers beyond medical doctors to include qualified chiropractors, while maintaining the requirement that athletes cannot return to play without provider clearance. The bill updates existing law (K.S.A. 72-7119) to include this provision, effective after July 1, 2011.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands healthcare access by allowing licensed chiropractors to evaluate and clear athletes with head injuries, improving timely concussion care for student-athletes.92% confidence

Track

signed · Kansas · House Mar 23, 2026

HB 2478: Requiring that advanced practice registered nurses and registered nurse anesthetists submit to a criminal history check upon application for a nursing license.

HB 2478 requires advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and registered nurse anesthetists (RNAs) to undergo criminal background checks when applying for a nursing license in Kansas. The bill amends Kansas law to mandate fingerprinting and state/national criminal history checks for these specific nursing applicants during the licensing process. Applicants must pay fees that cover the cost of background checks, with funds collected into a new "criminal background and fingerprinting fund" managed by the Board of Nursing. This policy change directly affects APRN and RNA license seekers by adding a mandatory background check step to their application requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates background checks for nursing license applicants to ensure patient safety, aligning with protective healthcare standards for medical professionals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 423: Requiring certain cost-sharing assistance be applied toward a covered individual's deductible or annual out-of-pocket limit under the individual's health benefit plan.

SB 423 requires health insurers to count certain prescription drug payments toward a patient's deductible or out-of-pocket limit under their health insurance plan. It applies specifically to brand-name drugs without generic equivalents (or biosimilar options) or when a patient has met prior authorization, step therapy, or appeal requirements. This means patients’ payments for these drugs reduce the amount they must pay before full insurance coverage applies. The bill directly affects individuals enrolled in health benefit plans who use such prescription drugs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill reduces patient out-of-pocket costs by counting drug payments toward deductibles, improving access to expensive brand-name medications without generics.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

Track

signed · Kansas · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 2528: Requiring all state board of nursing actions related to certain nonpractice violations be void, allowing for late license renewal for professional, practical and advanced practice registered nurses, setting fees for late license renewal, limiting unprofessional conduct to acts related to the practice of nursing, prohibiting the board from taking retaliatory action against a licensee based on certain lawful actions and creating a civil cause of action for violation thereof, requiring termination of current board members on January 1, 2027 and requiring the governor to appoint interim board members subject to senate confirmation and requiring the board to issue refunds for overpayment or duplicate payment.

HB 2528 invalidates all Kansas State Board of Nursing disciplinary actions related to nonpractice violations (e.g., administrative errors or unrelated conduct) occurring between 2005 and July 2026, retroactively clearing records. It allows late license renewals for all registered nurses (professional, practical, and advanced practice) with set fees, limits "unprofessional conduct" to practice-related acts, and prohibits the board from retaliating against nurses who legally challenge it. The bill requires board members to undergo Senate confirmation, mandates refunds for overpayments, and creates a legal remedy for violations. It directly affects nurses with past disciplinary records under specific statutes and the Board’s administrative processes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves nonpractice-related disciplinary barriers for nurses, ensures license continuity, and protects nurses from retaliation - strengthening healthcare workforce stability and access to care.85% confidence

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 377: Requiring cardiac emergency response plans at all recreational youth facilities, including the placement of automatic external defibrillators.

SB 377 requires all public and private recreational youth facilities (like pools, camps, gyms, and after-school programs for children under 18) to adopt comprehensive cardiac emergency response plans. These plans must include placing automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), establishing response teams, defining staff roles during cardiac emergencies, and mandating annual staff training and plan reviews. The bill excludes school district facilities and licensed daycares, which are covered under separate existing laws. Facilities must maintain AEDs, rehearse responses yearly, and coordinate with local emergency services per statewide standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates AEDs, response plans, and staff training at youth facilities to improve cardiac emergency response, directly enhancing public health preparedness and patient access during medical crises.95% confidence

Tags Public Safety

Track

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2556: Prohibiting certain terms in a contract between a health insurer and a dentist and requiring that reviews, audits or investigations of healthcare providers concerning healthcare provider claims be completed within six months.

HB 2556 prohibits health insurers from including certain terms in contracts with dentists, such as requiring dentists to accept insurer-set fees for covered services or blocking dentists from billing patients for services deemed "dental necessity." It requires insurers to complete claim reviews, audits, or investigations within six months of payment - except for fraud cases, pattern billing issues, or claims tied to federal law. The bill also restricts insurers from denying claims for procedures already approved via prior authorization, unless specific conditions like changed patient conditions or new procedures apply. This directly affects dentists and health insurers in Kansas by clarifying contract terms and speeding up claim resolution.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits insurers from restricting dentist billing rights and mandates timely claim reviews, protecting provider access and patient care in dental services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

Track