What We're Reading: Nevada Health Bill Vetoed; Kansas Restores Medicaid Funds; Calif. to Award $20M

Nevada’s Governor Vetoes Medicaid for All Bill

If Nevada’s Republican governor didn’t act on Friday, then a first-of-its-kind bill that allowed any state resident to buy into Medicaid would have automatically become law. However, Governor Brian Sandoval vetoed the bill late on Friday, reported The Wall Street Journal. The bill had passed the state’s legislature, which is controlled by Democrats, mostly along party lines, and could have provided residents with an affordable health insurance option, according to the bill’s sponsor. The same day, Sandoval joined other governors and sent a letter to Washington, DC, that criticized the GOP health plan for rolling back Medicaid expansion.

Kansas Will Restore Medicaid Funding

A 4% Medicaid reimbursement cut that was imposed May 2016 in Kansas has been reversed. According to The Wichita Eagle, Governor Sam Brownback signed a bill to restore Medicaid reimbursements, which will take effect on July 1. The reimbursement cut had been an attempt to save money amid a state budget crisis, and was not expected to be a permanent cut. More than 400,000 people are covered by Kansas’ Medicaid program, called KanCare. Children will benefit the most—nearly two-thirds of KanCare’s beneficiaries are children. Most of the adults are either disabled, pregnant, or frail and elderly.

California Provides Funding for Health Clinics

California is proactively funding local health and Planned Parenthood clinics with $20 million in emergency grants. The money is meant to help fund these clinics when anticipated healthcare funding cuts from the Trump administration take effect, according to Reuters. The state is expecting there to be potential shortfalls if the Affordable Care Act is repealed. The money is coming from a California financing program called the Community Clinic Lifeline Grant Program.