KHI News Service - Dave Ranney - 03/03/08

TOPEKA, March 3 — Among the Kansas Health Policy Authority’s 21 health reform initiatives are several that call for state government helping people lead healthier lifestyles.

Good ideas, perhaps, but they each cost money that legislators say is in short supply.

In her proposed budget for fiscal year 2009, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius did not include funding for programs aimed at discouraging the use of tobacco, performing “health measurements” on school children, and promoting exercise and access to fresh vegetables. Instead, these initiatives are tied to the proposed 50-cent-per-pack tax increase on cigarettes.

Few legislators expect the tax to pass, leaving the lifestyle initiatives in limbo.

“There’s money in the governor’s budget for us to maintain the programs that are already underway, but there’s no new money, no additional money,” said Joe Blubaugh, spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

A reform initiative that calls for adding “healthy choices” to the state-employee cafeterias in Topeka also has stalled.

“We’re having conversations on that issue,” said Barb Langer, policy director at the health policy authority.

The cafeterias are under contract with a program that promotes employment opportunities for the blind and disabled.

“It turns out that negotiating these contracts is hard to do. We’re sort of surprised,” Langer said. “But it’s something we’re pursuing.”

Another reform initiative calls for the health policy authority helping consumers compare health-care costs and quality.

Langner said the health policy authority last year added information to the agency’s Web site designed to help people take control of their health. Later this year, she said, it expects to add in-state cost and quality comparisons.

“This spring, we’ll be having discussions on what indicators have the most validity for Kansas,” Langner said.

The additional information would then appear on the Web site sometime this fall.

-Dave Ranney is a staff writer for KHI News Service, which specializes in coverage of health issues facing Kansans. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or at 785-233-5443, ext. 128.