Access to care plays a critical role in supporting Kansans’ health and strong communities. Particularly in rural areas where the population is growing older and more sparse, providers are looking for ways to both stay financially viable and provide quality integrated care for the people they serve.
Our Goal: Innovative and sustainable health systems that ensure people have access to all facets of care
KanCare Expansion
More than 150,000 Kansans fall into a health coverage gap. They earn too much to qualify for KanCare but not enough to be eligible to get financial help to buy private insurance. These are hard working men and women who are left with few options for affordable health coverage. To close that gap, a diverse coalition of over 100 business, civic, and health care organizations from across the state have come together to form the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas and advocate to expand KanCare. The Alliance is collaborative effort supported by the Health Fund and our philanthropic partners in Kansas.
Telehealth and Broadband
Telehealth provides an opportunity to leverage technology to maximize our health care workforce and better serve Kansans. Before COVID-19, just 11% of US consumers were using telehealth, but in 2020 its unique advantages (especially in rural areas) became clear. Now, consumers and providers agree telehealth is here to stay, playing a key role in integrated, patient-centered systems of care. Ensuring all Kansans have access to reliable broadband allows us to distribute workforce and re-design our health system in a different way. Residents can access hard-to-recruit specialty care in their communities, benefiting them while reducing burdens of recruitment. However, we must change policies to foster this innovation for the long term.