Kansas Hospitals Urge Extension of healthcare tax credits

A set of tax credits that assist residents in procuring health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace is set to expire at the end of the year — and area health administrators are concerned how it could impact healthcare in central Kansas if the credits go away.

Vallerie Gleason, president and CEO of NMC Health is among the concerned.

"Allowing the premium tax cuts to expire will directly affect our ability as a rural healthcare provider to care for the community where we live, work and serve," Gleason said. "I urge our Kansas congressional delegation, who care deeply about rural Kansas and rural hospitals, to support extensions of the premium tax cuts."

She was one of several leaders from Kansas hospitals and health systems who announced this week a joint letter to the state's congressional delegation urging them to take immediate action to extend enhanced premium tax credits.

The letter states that without a congressional solution, tens of thousands of Kansans will lose access to affordable health coverage.

A recent report estimates that if the tax credits are not extended, the uninsured rate in Kansas would increase by 32 percent, making it the eighth highest state increase in the nation.

The tax credits currently help more 160,000 Kansans afford health insurance on the individual marketplace — the Affordable Care Act insurance market.

The tax credits are set to expire on Dec. 31, while enrollment for health insurance plans is set to occur in October.

According to data from the Kansas Hospital Association, allowing these credits to expire would result in:

● A 77% average increase in out-of-pocket premiums for those currently receiving assistance;

● A premium hike of over $2,500 per year for a Kansas family of four making $64,000 a year;

● An increase of more than $18,000 annually for a 60-year-old couple making $82,800 a year.

Members of the group signing the letter include, in alphabetical order, Ascension Via Christi, Caldwell Regional Medical Center, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Greenwood County Hospital, Hillsboro Community Hospital, Kingman Healthcare Center, NMC Health, Patterson Health Center, Salina Regional Health Center and Wesley Healthcare.

"As healthcare providers on the frontlines of patient care, we know firsthand the devastating impact that a loss of affordable coverage would have on our communities," said Kevin Strecker, CEO of Ascension Via Christi. "This is a direct threat to the financial well-being of Kansas families and the stability of our healthcare system, particularly our rural hospitals, which serve as a lifeline for their communities."