The Uninsured in Kansas
New U.S. Census data show that Kansas is one of 10 states in which the uninsured rate went up in the last two years. This KHI fact sheet also provides information about the age and work status of uninsured Kansans.

Kansas Mission of Mercy - Garden City: Patient Characteristics, Needs, and Satisfaction
Over 15 percent of the patients served by a free dental clinic early this year reported they have never been to a dentist.

Achieving and Sustaining High Vaccination Rates Among Kansas Children: An Action Plan
A newly-released report and issue brief details potential barriers to improving Kansas' childhood immunization rate and provides recommendations for policymakers, providers, parents and others.

Parental and Provider Attitudes, Practices, and Beliefs about Childhood Immunizations in Kansas
Common themes that emerged from interviews with parents and providers about the childhood immunization process indicate that parents want more information and follow-up than is currently available.

Immunizing Children in Their Medical Home — Does it Make a Difference?
Children immunized in private clinics received more timely immunizations during the first year of life than those immunized in local health departments, but by 24 months of age, that difference disappears.

Employer-Sponsored Insurance in Kansas
Employment, even full-time, is no guarantee of access to employer-sponsored insurance. This new issue brief discusses the availability of employer-based health insurance in Kansas.

Uninsured Young Adults in Kansas
Twenty-three percent of Kansans age 19-34 are uninsured. This new fact sheet discusses this population and why these individuals are more likely to be uninsured than any other age group.

Are Kansas Children Prepared to Succeed in Kindergarten?
A new assessment shows that most Kansas children are ready to start school and that those who participate in some kind of early-learning program do better in all academic areas than those who do not.

Kansas Health Digest

• Governor questions WCGME funding request TOPEKA, Jan. 6 - Gov. Kathleen Sebelius says her office is having a hard time finding out how much money the Wichita Center for Graduate Medical Education needs to maintain its operations.
• Key senator calls for moving OIG out of KHPA TOPEKA, Jan. 5 - The legislator who pushed hardest to create an inspector general's office within the Kansas Health Policy Authority is now calling for that office to be incorporated within the Legislature's auditing arm, saying the health policy authority "has elected to not make use of it."
• Nurse named to optometry board TOPEKA, Jan. 5 - An Overland Park nurse has been appointed to the Kansas Board of Examiners in Optometry.
• Kansans ready for real reform, project shows WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 24 - A year-long effort to find out how people in Kansas, Ohio and Mississippi want policymakers to reform the health care system shows they're willing to pay more for a publicly run system that provides care to all.
• Senate committee assignments announced TOPEKA, Dec. 23 - Kansas Senate committee assignments have been announced.
• House committee assignments announced TOPEKA, Dec. 23 - House Republican and Democratic leaders have announced their committee assignments for the 2009 legislative session, which begins Jan. 12.
• Foundation launches yearlong search for health reform WICHITA, Dec. 22 - A foundation-led coalition of health officials will spend the next 12 months looking for ways to narrow the ever-widening gap between the insured and uninsured in Sedgwick County.
• Health policy authority seeks people for advisory panel TOPEKA, Dec. 22 - The Kansas Health Policy Authority is accepting nominations for a new panel to advise it on mental health drug prescriptions.
• Organizer slated as second speaker in Sunflower series TOPEKA, Dec. 22 - A grassroots organizer whose firm has worked with the likes of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, EMILY's List and the League of Conservation Voters is scheduled to appear in Topeka next month courtesy of the Sunflower Foundation.
• KHPA disputes results of data-mining audit TOPEKA, Dec. 19 - A state audit has found that in 2006, Kansas paid almost $13 million in what investigators called suspicious Medicaid claims involving more than 10,000 beneficiaries whose incomes made them ineligible or who couldn’t produce a legitimate Social Security number.
• KCK passes smoking ban KANSAS CITY, KAN., Dec. 19 - The Unified Government of Kansas City and Wyandotte County on Thursday approved an ordinance that bans smoking in many of the city's work and public places.
• Nursing homes pan CMS rating system TOPEKA, Dec. 19 - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Thursday unveiled a new five-star rating system for the nation's nursing homes.
• Moran reappointed to co-chair House hunger group WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 18 - Congressman Jerry Moran has been reappointed co-chairman of the House Hunger Caucus.
• Neufeld appoints himself to Kansas Bioscience Authority TOPEKA, Dec. 17 - House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, soon to end his term, has appointed himself to the Kansas Bioscience Authority board of directors.
• Waiting list not an option for mental health centers TOPEKA, Dec. 17 - Community mental health centers have been told they will not be allowed to use waiting lists to offset a $1.8 million cut in state funding.

Kansas Health Digest archive »

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