KHI senior analyst Scott Brunner appeared recently on a Kansas City public television program about KanCare, the state’s initiative to move all Medicaid enrollees into managed care plans operated by three private insurance companies.
The program also featured an interview with Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, who said KanCare is going well and is on track to achieve its estimated $1 billion in savings. The savings over five years are expected to result from better care coordination for the approximately 380,000 Kansans enrolled in the program.
The state contracted with three private insurance companies in January to administer the KanCare program. Colyer said while some providers have complained about slow payments and increased administrative burdens, the managed-care initiative was going better than he expected.