Payment delays to health providers have been one of the most contentious parts of KanCare. But a bill before the Kansas Senate this week aims to eliminate the problem.
The bill requires the three for-profit companies that run Kansas’s Medicaid program to pay on time. Official state numbers show payments have been timely, at least in the past several months, but many doctors and hospitals have reported some significant problems.
Kansas City, Kansas doctor Sharon Lee says delays can effect patient care and have a big impact on a provider’s business.
"It means you don’t have the money in the bank," says Lee. "It means you can’t use it to pay your staff and to do all the other things that you do with that income."
The KanCare bill passed unanimously in the House last week. The Senate will hear it on Wednesday.
