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The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has received a $4.6 million grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to support the state Medicaid program, KanCare, over the next four years. The funding will help ensure that Kansans eligible for Medicaid and CHIP continue to receive health care during and after incarceration.

The grant will support strategies that keep members connected to care, including access to preventive services and treatment in the right settings. This approach aims to improve health outcomes, reduce emergency care costs, and lower the risk of reoffending. It will also help implement youth re-entry requirements under the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, ensuring Medicaid and CHIP coverage for eligible youth within 30 days of release.

Funding may be used to address operational gaps, standardize enrollment processes, improve health information sharing, and establish oversight systems. KDHE plans to focus on safe and efficient information sharing and coordinated care to help beneficiaries transition successfully back into their communities.