Thursday, April 12, 2012

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and top administration officials say a coming reorganization of three major state departments will improve services for the poor, disabled and elderly.

Brownback, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer and the secretaries for the departments of Aging, Health and Environment and Social and Rehabilitation Services touted the reorganization Thursday. It's part of an overhaul of the state's Medicaid program.

Brownback issued an order in February to reorganize those agencies. The order takes effect in July because lawmakers didn't
attempt to block it.

But doubts linger about the governor's plan to turn management of the $2.9-billion-a-year Medicaid over to three private companies
next year.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, said the Republican governor's news conference shows the administration understands it faces difficulty selling the overhaul.