Moran says rural hospitals are “hanging on by a thread” and could benefit from Medicaid expansion

Republican U.S. Senator Jerry Moran says many rural hospitals are “hanging on by a thread” and could benefit from the additional revenue that Medicaid expansion would generate, but Moran says he wants to leave the decision in Kansas to the Legislature.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Moran made the comments Wednesday after speaking to LMH Health president and CEO Russ Johnson during a visit to Lawrence.

Kansas has rejected accepting additional federal funding provided through the Affordable Care Act to expand the jointly state and federally funded Medicaid program for the poor and disabled, but the idea is being revisited now that incoming Democratic Gov.  Laura Kelly has expressed interest.

Moran says Kansas needs to weigh a funding increase against “how long those federal dollars will be in place.”