Top officials in Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration said Monday the state is dropping about 1,226 people with physical disabilities from a waiting list for home-and-community based Medicaid services. That’s about one-third of the 3,462 who were on the list as of July.

Department for Aging and Disability Services Secretary Shawn Sullivan said an audit of the list revealed that 24 percent of the 1,226 to be removed could not be contacted by the Centers for Independent Living that serve them, 20 percent had their Medicaid cases closed and another 10 percent are already receiving services.

The waiting list is meant to provide services for Kansans who qualify for institutional care under Medicaid, but prefer to remain in their homes.

Advocates have filed grievances, called “Olmstead” complaints, based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that states must provide services to people with disabilities.   U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said via an email from his office’s spokesman that the Justice Department inquiry is ongoing.

Sullivan also announced that, going forward, state staff will manage the waiting list to eliminate the “inherent conflict of interest” associated with the community-based independent living centers that serve the disabled also deciding who qualifies for services.