(Oct. 16, 2026) – Throughout the past two weeks, the Kansas Hospital Association has been traveling across the state, hosting our semi-annual district meetings. These gatherings allow KHA members to network with their peers and hear about several hot-topic issues facing Kansas hospitals. Beyond the timely and informative information shared, the most rewarding aspect is always the dialogue and feedback during the meetings. Thank you to all our members who attended.
Each KHA district meeting began with a review of KHA's current three-year strategic plan. KHA Board members shared insights from the latest discussions on our four strategic priorities: Advocacy and Regulation, Finance and Reimbursement, Health Care Workforce and Quality and Safety. KHA members also provided input on the priorities the association should focus on in 2027, the final year of our current three-year plan. Topics included the Rural Health Transformation Program, artificial intelligence and the 340B program. KHA's proposed 2027 budget was also presented to attendees, as the KHA Board will take action on it in November.
KHA shared the results of its most recent public perception poll. The top takeaways were discussed, including polling data showing Kansans now rank health insurance as the top driver of rising health care costs at 64 percent, up 20 points since 2023. The poll also revealed that the "Excellent" ratings from Kansans about the quality of local hospital care rose to 23 percent, up seven points since 2023, while poor ratings were cut in half to six percent. State funding to keep rural hospitals open was very important to 70 percent of Kansans, and more than 50 percent of every party and ideology rated this as very important, the widest cross-partisan consensus in the study. We were also pleased to see an increase in the perception of health care careers, with 55 percent calling health care a rewarding and respected career, up 10 points, the biggest gain in the study. KHA plans to use the results of the public perception poll in future public communications and campaigns.
The district meeting attendees also received the latest updates on KHA advocacy's efforts, including the status of price transparency, the Sustain 340B legislation and Medicare Advantage. KHA solicited input on several potential state legislative issues, including the licensure of anesthesiologist assistants, protections for 340B contract pharmacies, non-compete agreements and health care affordability.
A few additional topics discussed included the Rural Health Transformation Program, Quality and Safety, and Finance and Reimbursement. Attendees received the most up-to-date information and provided feedback on the RHTP. As expected, there continues to be strong interest among KHA members in being engaged in this process. In the Quality and Safety space, KHA highlighted multiple initiatives, including QHi, OB simulation resources, TMaH and nurse license monitoring through Nursys. The finance and reimbursement section focused on our efforts in price transparency, the provider assessment program, and payor accountability, including our payer scorecard.
Lastly, we highlighted how members can engage with and impact the association's work through our KHA boards and committees, as well as through numerous educational offerings and workforce education. If you missed these meetings, the slides are available online.
As always, thanks to our sponsors, the Kansas Health Service Corporation, APS and KAMMCO, for making another successful round of district meetings possible. Most of all, thanks to those of you who attended our meetings and gave us such great feedback! Don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or need additional assistance.
--Chad Austin