By JIM MCLEAN

Think twice and don’t be in such a hurry to repeal Obamacare.

That’s the message that an alliance pushing for Medicaid expansion in Kansas is sending to members of the state’s congressional delegation.

The Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, a nonprofit advocacy organization with more than 100 members, on Tuesday began distributing a letter to its members and asking them to send it to the state’s two U.S. senators and four House members, whom the letter urges to “avoid repealing the Affordable Care Act without putting in place an adequate replacement.”

Download the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas letter
David Jordan, executive director of the alliance, says there are growing indications that Republican congressional leaders are having second thoughts about their “repeal now and replace later” strategy.

“It’s clear that more and more of them are concerned about how repeal of the ACA will affect their voters,” Jordan says.

An amendment proposed by five Republican U.S. senators, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rob Portman of Ohio, would change a repeal date included in a budget reconciliation bill from Jan. 27 to March 3. That would give lawmakers more time to come up with replacement legislation that preserves popular parts of the health reform law.

Jordan says any delay would give Kansas lawmakers time to consider a Medicaid expansion bill.

“It creates a window of opportunity for the (Kansas) Legislature to take action,” he says.

Kansas is one of 19 states that haven’t expanded their Medicaid programs to cover more low-income adults, generally those who make too much under existing eligibility criteria but too little to qualify for subsidies to help them purchase private coverage in the Obamacare marketplace. It’s estimated that expansion would cover more than 100,000 low-income Kansans.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and conservative legislative leaders have prevented any serious debate of expansion for the past three years. But expansion advocates say the defeat of several conservatives by more moderate Republicans and Democrats in the 2016 election may give them the votes to pass a plan.

However, members of the state’s congressional delegation appear steadfast in their desire to repeal the ACA immediately.
U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, a Republican who represents the 3rd District, which includes Johnson and Wyandotte counties, posted a video to his Twitter and Facebook accounts Monday in which he says Obamacare has failed to expand access to affordable coverage.

“That’s why House Republicans are keeping our promise to the American people to repeal Obamacare and replace it with solutions that provide lowers costs, better access to care and places decisions in the hands of you and your doctor,” Yoder says over soaring background music.

Roger Marshall represents the 1st Congressional District, which covers two-thirds of Kansas from the western boarder to roughly Manhattan. He favors immediate action on those parts of the ACA that can be repealed through the budget reconciliation process, which include the individual mandate and Medicaid expansion.

“I expect that to happen sooner rather than later,” Marshall says. “Mr. Trump is a pretty demanding president-elect and he wants us to hop right on that.”

Repealing the ACA would cost Kansas approximately 19,000 jobs by 2019, according to a recent study done by George Washington University for the Commonwealth Fund.

Most of the more than 425,000 Kansans now covered by Medicaid are low-income children, new mothers, people with disabilities or elderly adults needing long-term care who have exhausted their personal resources.

Jim McLean is managing director of KCUR’s Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics in Kansas. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to kcur.org.

SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a man on assault charges involving a gun.

On Tuesday, deputies were sent to a home in the 5700 block of West Helberg Road in rural Saline County after a report of a stolen handgun, according to Saline County Sheriff’s Lt. Stan Fruits.

Scott R. Acree, 58, told deputies he had been cutting wood with Justin Clark, 48, Falun, on Monday afternoon.

Both had also been drinking. When they began to argue, Acree allegedly fired at least a couple of shots Clark’s feet in an attempt to make him dance.

Clark took the 9mm handgun from Acree and left. No one was hurt.

Deputies arrested Acree on requested charges of aggravated assault and criminal threats.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s budget and tax proposals (all times local):

Several hundred people are rallying at the Kansas Statehouse in opposition to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and in favor of liberal causes.

The organizers called Wednesday’s event the People’s Agenda rally, and it covers a wide range of issues, including LGBT and voting rights, expanded access to health care and lessening the influence of special-interest group money in elections.

The rally came a day after Brownback gave his annual State of the State address. He declared, “By many measures, Kansas is the envy of the world.”

Part of the HUGE crowd at the People’s Agenda rally. Folks are meeting at the intersection of social, econ & environmental justice. #ksleg pic.twitter.com/Hne29rRJTc

— PP Great Plains KS (@PPGreatPlainsKS) January 11, 2017

Rally organizer Davis Hammett said the event represented “the people’s State of the State.” He is president of the Topeka-based advocacy group Loud Light.

Hammett said rally organizers want to put the state’s most vulnerable and marginalized citizens first in policy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump (all times EST):

12:35 p.m.

President-elect Donald Trump says a replacement for “Obamacare” will be offered with the confirmation of his health secretary.

Trump says at a Wednesday news conference that his plan for President Barack Obama’s health care law would be “repeal and replace,” adding that it would be “essentially simultaneously.”

Trump called the law “a complete and total disaster” and said it was “imploding.” He argued that Republicans would do doing a “tremendous service” for Democrats by replacing the law.

 

 

Trump has repeatedly said that repealing and replacing “Obamacare” was a top priority, but he has never fully explained how he planned to do it. Speaker Paul Ryan has said that the House would seek to take both steps “concurrently.”

But Trump’s promise to repeal and replace the health care law “essentially simultaneously,” even in the same day, week or hour, is almost certainly impossible to achieve.

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12:25 p.m.

Donald Trump is recommitting to plans to impose a border tax on manufacturers who shutter plants and move production abroad.

Trump says at a Wednesday news conference: “There will be a major border tax on these companies that are leaving and getting away with murder.”

Border taxes may help retain jobs, but they carry the risk of increasing prices for consumers.

The president-elect has been meeting with chief executives and touting commitments by United Technologies and others to keep jobs in the United States. Such moves have done little so far to move the dial on job growth for the broader U.S. economy, although Trump stressed that he was using these deals to set a new tone that offshoring would be penalized.

Trump says: “What really is happening is the word is now out.”

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MCPHERSON COUNTY – Investigators including the State Fire Marshal’s office are working to determine the cause of a fire at a home in Moundridge on Tuesday.

Just after 1p.m. fire crews responded to the blaze in a single-family home at 224 West Ruth Street, according to Fire Captain Jeremy Johnson.

The fire started outside the home. It damaged a side porch, the kitchen and pantry area. The rest of the home sustained heat and smoke damage.

One occupant was able to escape without injuries, according to Johnson.

“They still don’t know what started the fire,” he said.

The occupant’s pet cat reportedly did not make it out of the home but was not found.

Damage estimate was not available early Wednesday.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s budget and tax proposals (all times local):

9:10 a.m.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback is proposing to increase taxes and fees for business owners and to boost state liquor and cigarette taxes to address the state’s budget problems.

The governor also outlined proposals Wednesday to continue diverting highway funds to general government programs, scale back state contributions to public employees and liquidate a state investment fund.

He also proposed selling off the state’s rights to collect its share of funds from a 1990s legal settlement with tobacco companies to raise $530 million or more.

The cigarette tax would increase by $1 a pack, to $2.29. The state’s liquor enforcement tax would double to 16 percent.

Business owners would pay personal income taxes on rents and royalty income that is now exempt and higher annual filing fees.

FORD COUNTY – Thirteen people were injured in an accident just before 4p.m. on Monday in Ford County.

On Tuesday evening, The Ford County Sheriff’s Department released photos of the crash.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Chevy Suburban driven by Chelsea E. Bradfield, 33, Wright, was Eastbound on U.S. 50., one mile east of Dodge City.
The Suburban ran into a 1999 Ford Windstar driven by Alejandrina V. Tagle, 41, Dodge City, that was stopped facing eastbound attempting to make a left turn onto 112 Road.

Bradfield and passengers in the Suburban Grace E Sommerville, 8, and Naely Urias, 13, both of Dodge City, Colten R. Rogers, 6, and Adelynn S. Bradfield, 2, both of Ensign were transported to Western Plains Medical Center.

Tagle and passengers in the Ford Litzy A. Martinez, 16; Adolfo A. Vega, 12; Manuel Adame-Tagle, 7; Alex Vega, 14; Angelica Adame,10; Matthew De La Torre – Hernandez, 6; and Alexis A. Vega, 6, all of Dodge City were transported to Western Plains Medical Center. Two of the children were transported by private vehicle.

The triage and transporting of patients was completed in less than 30-minutes, according to the sheriff’s department.

All were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

WICHITA – Kansas man pleaded guilty Tuesday of brandishing or aiding and abetting another robber who brandished a firearm during a bank robbery, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

Andre Bryant, 30, Wichita, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting or brandishing a firearm in a crime of violence.

In his plea, he admitted that on June 13, 2016, he and co-defendants robbed the Carson Bank at 4461 E. Douglas in Wichita.

Two individuals who were disguised entered the bank, one of them brandishing a firearm. They demanded and received money before fleeing. The money they received contained a global positioning device that police used to track Bryant and the co-defendants and arrest them.

Bryant is set for sentencing April 10. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 84 months in federal prison.

GEARY COUNTY – Three people were injured in an accident just before 7:30p.m. on Tuesday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Nissan passenger driven by Timothy Joseph Musil, 38, was westbound on Interstate 70 at a high rate of speed when it attempted to exit at Humboldt Creek Road.

The vehicle entered the ramp at too great of speed and could not negotiate the curve.

The vehicle entered the north ditch and tumbled end over end 3 times.

An emergency medical team flew Musil and passengers Brandi Marie Clark, 33, Oskaloosa, and Michael Gideon Mahoney, 34, Topeka, to a hospital in Topeka.

They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s annual State of the State address and budget issues (all times local):

8:45 p.m.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback is calling on legislators to pass school choice measures and reiterating his support for merit pay for teachers.

Brownback expressed his support for initiatives favored by fellow conservatives in his annual State of the State address Tuesday evening. But he provided few details.

He called for creating more competition in education and for expanding a program in which poor students can receive scholarships to attend private schools. The state gives an income tax break to corporations that contribute to scholarship funds.

Brownback also said the state should create a program for grading schools.

But lobbyist Mark Desetti of the Kansas National Education Association teachers union said Brownback is pushing ideas that have failed in other states. He said the governor is “behind the curve.”

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6:40 p.m.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback says he’ll propose some “one-time measures” to help balance the state’s current budget.

Brownback wasn’t more specific Tuesday evening in speaking with reporters after his annual State of the State address. He plans to release the details of his budget proposals Wednesday.

The state faces a projected shortfall of $342 million in its current budget. Lawmakers don’t think they can raise taxes quickly enough to fill the gap before the fiscal year ends June 30.

One-time accounting moves would allow the state to avoid immediate spending cuts.

In recent weeks, legislators have talked about borrowing against the assets of a $320 million state investment fund or liquidating it altogether.

The Governor promised in his speech that his proposals will balance the budget through June 2019.

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6:20 p.m.
Gov. Sam Brownback is challenging universities in Kansas to allow students to earn a bachelor’s degree and pay only $15,000 in total costs.
Brownback issued the challenge in his annual State of the State address Tuesday evening. He said Kansas residents deserve affordable college educations.
He also said his budget proposals would finance 50 student scholarships for the first university to meet the challenge. He did not provide more details.
The least expensive state university is Fort Hays. A full-time undergraduate student from Kansas pays $2,442 in tuition and required fees. That would be $19,535 over four years.
Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine questioned whether the idea is workable and said he is concerned about lowering academic standards for an inexpensive degree. The Emporia Republican’s district includes Emporia State University.
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5:05 p.m.
The Kansas Senate’s top Democrat says Republican Gov. Sam Brownback remains “in denial” about the damage his fiscal policies have done to families and communities.
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka described Brownback’s economic policies Tuesday evening as “debilitating.”
Hensley was giving the official Democratic response to the governor’s annual State of the State address.
Brownback defended an income tax break enacted in 2012 that benefits more than 330,000 farmers and business owners as a pro-growth policy. Even some Republican legislators want to repeal it to help close the state’s budget shortfalls.
Hensley called for reversing that policy and other personal income tax cuts enacted by Republican legislators in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging to stimulate the economy. The state has struggled to balance its budget since.
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5 p.m.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback says he will propose “modest, targeted” tax increases to help address the state’s serious budget problems.
But during his annual State of the State address Tuesday evening, the Republican governor strongly defended an income tax break that some GOP lawmakers want to end.
Brownback also told a joint session of the Republican-controlled Legislature that he will outline budget “efficiencies.”
And he cautioned lawmakers against expanding the state’s Medicaid program in line with the 2010 federal health care overhaul. President-elect Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are planning to repeal the health care law.
Kansas faces projected budget shortfalls totaling $1.1 billion through June 2019. The state has struggled to balance its budget since Republican legislators slashed personal income taxes in 2012 and 2013 at Brownback’s urging.
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OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A convicted serial killer who left some of his victims’ bodies in barrels will get some help from an appointed attorney as he appeals his conviction and death sentence.

Attorney Mark Manna, of the Kansas public defender system, entered his appearance Monday on behalf of John E. Robinson Sr. The 73-year-old appealed in November in Johnson County District Court.

Robinson, of Olathe, was charged in 2000 after police found the bodies of two women in barrels on property he owned in Linn County. The bodies of three more women were later found in barrels in a storage unit he rented in Cass County, Missouri.

The ensuing investigation also linked Robinson to three women who hadn’t been seen since they disappeared in the 1980s.

COWLEY COUNTY – A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday in Cowley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Chrysler Sebring driven by Claudine Lundy, 79, Burden, was southbound on U.S. 160 twelve miles east of Winfield.

The driver failed to yield at the junction and was hit by an eastbound semi.

The Chrysler rolled over into the southeast ditch.

Lundy was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Miles Funeral Home. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

The semi driver Luciano Enriquez-Arreola, 35, Wichita, was not injured.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A British 9-year-old has returned to Kansas City for the first of three surgeries for bone cancer after spending a fun-filled week in Florida.

The Kansas City Star reports Alexander Goodwin is scheduled to have the first surgery Wednesday to remove and replace his right femur and knee with prosthetics at the University of Kansas Hospital.  See his Justgiving page 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation helped send Alexander and his family to Walt Disney World and Sea World before having to deal with surgeries and recovery. Alexander’s father, Jeff Goodwin, says cancer has taken away a lot of his son’s childhood and it was nice to see him enjoy himself.

Alexander received a huge welcome from the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department at the Kansas City International Airport when he first arrived from the United Kingdom in December. His father is a police officer in the UK.