(Feb. 16, 2024) -Yesterday, the House Health and Human Services Committee, chaired by Representative Brenda Landwehr (R-Wichita) met to hold hearings on two bills.

House Bill 2784, transferring authority of certification of continuing care retirement communities from the Kansas insurance department to the Kansas department of aging and disability services and lowering the nursing facility provider assessment for continuing care retirement communities.

The committee heard proponent testimony from:
Eric Turek, Kansas Insurance Department
Steve Anderson, Kansas Medicaid Inspector General

The committee heard opposition testimony from:
Linda Mowbray, Kansas Healthcare Association
Rachel Monger, LeadingAge Kansas
Mark Schulte, Kansas Adult Care Executives
Tara Mays, Kansas Hospital Association KHA

Neutral testimony was provided by Lacey Hunter with the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services. The committee amended the bill to take out the bed tax changes that would negatively fiscally impact small nursing homes. 

House Bill 2793, prohibiting health care providers from performing healthcare services on minors without parental consent.

The committee heard proponent testimony from:
Representative Ron Bryce (R-Coffeyville)
Rachelle Columbo, Kansas Medical Society
Douglas Mund, Grace Fellowship 
Jill O’ Connor, Private Citizen

The committee heard opposition testimony from:
• Carol Moreland, Kansas State Board of Nursing
• Dr. Dena Hubbard, Kansas Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics
• Randy Callstrom, Wyandotte Behavioral Health
• Amy Campbell, Kansas Mental Health Coalition
• Charles Hunt, Johnson County Department of Health and Environment
• Kimberly Martin, Kansas School Nurses Association
• Melissa Stiehler, Loud Light Civic Action
• Shannan Kimball, Kansas Association of School Boards
• Tarah Remington-Brown, Kansas Association of Family Physicians
• Raryn Jones, Equality Kansas

The committee will meet again tomorrow.