Top 5 Kansas news stories
November 18 2025
Medicaid Patients Face ‘Ghost Networks’ As Insurers List Unavailable Doctors
Wichita Physician Targets Rural Medicaid Gaps With Hybrid Care Model
Federal Tax Changes Expected To Cost Kansas $145M, Complicating Budget Outlook
Gov. Kelly Taps Sen. Ethan Corson As Preferred Successor For 2026
Poll Finds Growing Majority Of Kansans Oppose Abortion Restrictions
Greg Loving
Medicaid Patients Face ‘Ghost Networks’ As Insurers List Unavailable Doctors
Private Medicaid insurers dominate the government healthcare program that covers more than 70 million low-income and disabled Americans. But when Medicaid-plan enrollees need care, they often can’t get appointments with the doctors listed in those insurers’ networks. A Wall Street Journal analysis of state and federal data showed that the networks of doctors that insurers listed for their Medicaid members are less robust than they appear. Some doctors are erroneously shown in states or cities where they don’t actually work. Others won’t book appointments for Medicaid patients, who typically are far less lucrative than those with employer coverage. Some medical practices limit slots allotted for Medicaid visits, or simply won’t take new Medicaid patients. Medicaid-plan enrollees interviewed by the Journal described being unable to see listed doctors, leaving some facing long waits and others skipping care they can’t otherwise afford. “It’s a fake system,” said Elisha Yaghmai, a Kansas doctor who runs a company that provides physicians to rural hospitals. “It doesn’t actually get them care.” Many Americans who try to book medical appointments, no matter their insurer, are frustrated by long waits and confusing provider networks. Patients and doctors say those problems are worse for people in Medicaid plans. Insurers said they regularly audit their networks to verify accuracy and work hard to ensure members get needed medical care. They said there are various reasons some in-network doctors might not see Medicaid patients, including practice location, patient preferences and low demand for particular services.
WSJ
Greg Loving
Wichita Physician Targets Rural Medicaid Gaps With Hybrid Care Model
Dr. Elisha Yaghmai, an internal-medicine physician and longtime rural-health innovator, has emerged as a leading voice in exposing gaps in Medicaid provider networks. Yaghmai, who has spent years staffing physicians in small Kansas communities, is also a founder and executive leader behind FreeState Healthcare, a Wichita-based company focused on plugging those gaps through a hybrid model of in-person and virtual care. His experience working with rural hospitals — where Medicaid patients often struggle to secure appointments despite insurers listing large networks — informs his criticism that the system “doesn’t actually get them care.” FreeState Healthcare, founded in 2014, operates as a multi-specialty medical group designed to bring full-service care to underserved areas without the high overhead of traditional systems. The company contracts with rural hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and community health centers across Kansas and neighboring states, offering both on-site physicians and telemedicine coverage. FreeState markets itself as an affordable, flexible alternative for communities that lack consistent access to primary or specialty care, serving insured, uninsured, and Medicaid patients alike. Its mission — built around low-cost technology, staffing innovation, and rural partnerships — underscores the systemic access problems Yaghmai highlighted in the recent Wall Street Journal report.
Citizen Journal
Federal Tax Changes Expected To Cost Kansas $145M, Complicating Budget Outlook
State officials warned this week that provisions in the new federal "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" will reduce Kansas revenue by approximately $145 million beginning next fiscal year, adding pressure to a state budget already facing potential shortfalls. While general fund revenues have recently exceeded estimates—surpassing projections by $130 million in fiscal year 2025 and $100 million so far in fiscal year 2026—budget analysts cautioned that these federal changes threaten to push the state into the red. The majority of the fiscal impact stems from business-focused tax breaks rather than individual relief; specifically, full expensing for certain business property and domestic research will cost the state roughly $117 million combined. State Budget Director Adam Proffitt noted that while the legislation benefits corporations, Kansas taxpayers will not automatically see federal deductions for tips and overtime applied to their state returns as the legislature begins crafting the next budget.
Kansas Reflector
Gov. Kelly Taps Sen. Ethan Corson As Preferred Successor For 2026
Governor Laura Kelly formally endorsed state Senator Ethan Corson regarding the 2026 gubernatorial race on Monday, signaling her confidence in the Fairway Democrat as a "true middle-of-the-road" candidate capable of holding the governor’s mansion. Kelly, who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection, praised Corson as a pragmatic public servant who would continue her focus on stabilizing the state budget, fully funding K-12 public schools, and delivering economic growth. The endorsement positions Corson as the heir to the coalition of Democrats, independents, and moderate Republicans that secured Kelly’s victories in 2018 and 2022. In her statement, Kelly emphasized that Corson’s allegiance lies with Kansans rather than party politics, asserting that he offers the best chance to maintain the state's current stability while bringing "visionary and bold new ideas" to the administration.
Kansas Reflector
Poll Finds Growing Majority Of Kansans Oppose Abortion Restrictions
A new survey from Fort Hays State University indicates that opposition to government regulations on abortion is intensifying across the state, with 60% of respondents now saying the government should not regulate the circumstances under which women can obtain abortions. The annual "Kansas Speaks" poll by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs shows a steady upward trend in this sentiment, rising from 51% in 2023 and 55% in 2024, while support for regulation has dipped to just 25%. These findings come as abortion remains a central friction point in Kansas politics, three years after voters decisively rejected a constitutional amendment that would have removed abortion rights. Despite the shifting public opinion, conservative lawmakers continue to pursue abortion-related legislation and are currently pushing a constitutional amendment to change how Kansas Supreme Court justices are elected, a move widely seen as a response to the court's rulings on reproductive rights.
CJOnline
Sources
- WSJ
- Citizen Journal
- Kansas Reflector
- Kansas Reflector
- CJOnline
Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:
citizen journal offers three flagship products: a daily national news summary, a daily Kansas news summary, and local news and school board summaries from 15 cities across Kansas. Each issue contains 5 paragraph-length stories that are made to be read in 5 minutes. Use the links in the header to navigate to national, kansas, and local coverage. Subscribe to each, some, or all to get an email when new issues are published for FREE!
Brought to you by (click me!)
