Lt. Gov. Rogers visits Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital

April 20-- Apr. 20--El Dorado -- Kansas Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers visited Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital Wednesday afternoon to discuss the possible Medicaid expansion in Kansas, as well as take a tour of the hospital. Rogers was accompanied by Tom Bell, Kansas Hospital Association President and CEO.

They began their visit by meeting with SBA President and CEO Jim Kirkbride, senior leaders and staff members to discuss the impact Medicaid expansion would have on SBA, as well as learn more about the services offered at the hospital.

The Kansas House has passed the Medicaid expansion bill and now it is at the Senate. Rogers encouraged people to contact their legislators and request they have a debate about the proposal.

"As I've traveled the state, it's a non-partisan issue," Rogers said. "There is great economic imperative for this. There is a moral imperative to take care of our neighbors. These are people working two to three jobs or who have a partial disability. We have a real employee shortage in the state and if more people are healthy, there are more people to work."

According to information provided by the KHA, the state cost for the expansion would be approximately $40.5 million in 2019, which would be offset by additional revenues and savings of approximately $58.5 million. By 2020, the state costs would reach approximately $109.8 million, but revenues and savings would be up to $114.5 million.

According Data to information provided by Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, showed that expanding KanCare will benefit Butler County by giving 1,173 uninsured residents health coverage. They also stated that the expansion is projected to bring more than $7.8 million per year in additional health care spending to Butler County, with SBA receiving more than $3.5 million annually.

"This is one of the hospitals, referring to SBA, caught in the middle," said Bell. He explained that it isn't a critical care hospitalCritical Access Hospital, which affects the amount of reimbursements received, but it does stay busy.

Before beginning the tour, Pam Cartwright, SBA Community Health Services Director, talked about the hospital's community health program. One of the programs she talked about was the school nurse program, which is funded through a grant. "Our goal is for students to have access to a School Nurse see a provider in the schools through telemedicine," she explained.

Garrett Daharsh, Vice President of SBA Ancillary Services, added that the hospital has to be a partner in the community and the community has to support the hospital. Some ways SBA is working with the community is through mobile labs, wellness screenings, wellness education and supporting businesses.

Kirkbride said the hospital also offers programs like Meals on Wheels through a partnership with the Department on Aging, as well as the new CHAMPSS meal program with the goal of improving the health of our community. Some of these social programs have limited funding causing stress are actually detrimental to the hospital's finances, but they are a necessary and valuable service to the community. He stated SBA is very grateful to the SBA Foundation, hospital volunteers and SBA Auxiliary who continue to support such programs.

He said another obstacle is that those with private insurance often go out of town for services more than those who don't have private insurance, which creates financial challenges as well.

Following the meeting, Rogers and the group toured the Family Birth Center, Motion Health and the Cancer Center to conclude his visit at SBA.

When asked when the bill would return to the Senate, Rogers said on May 1 they would be back in session and there would be a motion to bring it out of committee. That is when he would like to see it brought forward for debate.

About Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital

Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital is a not-for-profit, general acute care hospital that includes a 24-hour physician staffed emergency department, family birth center, home health agency, dialysis center, cancer center, and a family medical care facility in Augusta. The Hospital is governed by a local board of citizens, and is accredited by the Joint Commission.

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