The state’s KanCare program rescheduled education meetings to this week after snowstorms in late February forced their postponement.

In Hays Monday, an afternoon meeting at the Ramada Inn targeted KanCare providers.  The evening session was for consumers.

The meetings are presented by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.  During the providers meeting, Medicaid Initiatives Coordinator Becky Ross said the goal is to simply answer questions about the switch to KanCare.

“Everyone who was in Medicaid or Healthwave has been assigned by the state to one of the new policies, ” she explained, “and they have until April 4th to switch plans. After that deadline, patients are locked in to their policies for a year, but will have the opportunity to change plans annually.”

Ross also said patients should verify their preferred doctors are covered by their policy.

KanCare is administered by three private insurance companies, Amerigroup of Kansas, Sunflower State Health Plan and United Healthcare of the Midwest.

KanCare was launched Jan. 1 to reduce the growth of state Medicaid costs.

It is difficult to imagine having a family member in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.

Now imagine the scenario when the ambulance breaks down on 1-70. That did happen on Monday night.

The Quinter Ambulance had a flat tire while transporting a patient to Hays Med. The ambulance had to wait near mile post 153 until Ellis County EMS staff came to the rescue.

Ellis County EMS director Kerry McCue told Hays Post, “Those things do happen on occasion. We do everything possible to make certain vehicles are ready but it does happen. We were happy to be able to help. Our EMS team met the Quinter team about 7:45 p.m. We safely transferred the patient to Hays Med. The patient arrived in stable condition.”

Now that the election date is set, the Ellis County Commission continues to explain and promote their request for a half-cent sales tax. Commissioner Barbara Wasinger says there are two points she wants to make perfectly clear. The first is that the sales tax will sunset when the bonds are paid off, and second the money can only be used to fund the projects stated in the ballot question.

Based on the sales tax projections, the $14.5 million dollars in bonds will be paid off and the sales tax will sunset in about four-and-a-half years.

The Ellis County Administrator and commissioners approached the city councils of Ellis and Victoria Monday night to request that if the public approves the sales tax, then those communities would turn their share over to the county. Administrator Greg Sund says if Ellis, Victoria and Schoenchen agree to give their shares to the county, that could reduce the length of the sales tax by about six months.

The only projects eligible for this funding are the EMS/Rural Fire building and improvements to the courthouse and jail. Several public meetings are being planned. The election will be May 14.

This week, Union Pacific Railroad launched a new Community Ties website. The site contains news, photos and videos about Union Pacific, its employees and the communities where UP lives and works including Hays.

The site will cover topics including the latest news about UP projects, facilities and operations, events, service offerings, as well as the stories and videos about their company’s heritage and exciting steam program. Most of all, Community Ties will spread good news about the 46,000 UP employees.