Kansas Delays KanCare Expansion

AP) – Kansas is postponing the last part of an overhaul of its Medicaid program amid questions from federal officials about in-home services for the developmentally disabled.

State officials announced Friday that they won’t be bringing long-term care services for the developmentally disabled under the administration of three private health insurance companies on Jan. 1 as planned.

Kansas needed the approval of federal officials to complete the overhaul of the Medicaid program, now known as KanCare. State officials said they’re still in discussions with federal officials and hope to have an agreement by Feb. 1.

Medicaid covers health care for the needy and disabled, and the state turned over administration of almost the entire program to the private companies at the start of 2013. But advocates for the developmentally disabled were wary.