Advocacy in Action (March 2025): KABC Stands Against Medicaid Cuts

Libby Hastings • February 25, 2025

KABC is raising the alarm over proposed federal cuts to Medicaid that could strip away as much as $2.5 trillion from the program. This is not just a budgetary adjustment—it is a direct threat to the well-being of thousands of older Kansans who rely on Medicaid for their long-term care needs.


Dan Goodman, Executive Director of KABC, spoke out against these proposed cuts, emphasizing the urgent need for Kansans to take action: “I have no sense that this will deter the Federal Administration from taking action on this program, but rather the hope is to illuminate this issue for those Kansans that are paying attention and bring about a more calibrated approach. We must get Kansans to think about what long-term care looks like for Older Kansans with lesser Medicaid funding. I’m here to urge you to protect Older Kansans, protect Medicaid.”


Goodman was invited to speak at the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka on Monday, February 24, 2025, to address the recent movement by Congressional leaders to cut federal Medicaid funding. The informal gaggle took place in the east wing of the ground level of the Kansas Statehouse and gained statewide media attention. Other speakers included April Holman, Executive Director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas; Rocky Nichols, Executive Director of the Disability Rights Center of Kansas; and Adrienne Olejnik, Vice President of Kansas Action for Children.


Medicaid: A Lifeline for Older Kansans


Most Kansans over 65 rely on Medicare for their healthcare needs, but it is Medicaid that ensures access to long-term care services, whether at home or in nursing facilities. For thousands of seniors in Kansas, Medicaid is the only option that allows them to age with dignity in their own homes, receiving essential support services.


However, the impact of these proposed federal cuts would be catastrophic. Kansas already suffers from a critical shortage of direct care workers, and nearly 85,000 Older Kansans live in areas with limited access to care. Slashing Medicaid funding will only deepen this crisis. Rural communities, where healthcare access is already strained, will be hit the hardest. Short-term savings from these cuts will be overshadowed by the long-term damage—weakening the home and long-term care infrastructure, driving more providers out of the workforce, and placing tens of thousands of Older Kansans at risk.


Who Will Care for Older Kansans?


More than half of Kansas nursing home residents depend on Medicaid to afford care, which costs an average of $7,700 per month for a semi-private room. These older adults have already depleted their assets before qualifying for Medicaid, leaving them with no other options. Many have no family to step in, and even when family is available, they may not have the ability to provide the level of care required.


Without Medicaid, who will care for them? And how will Kansas taxpayers fill the financial void left by the loss of federal funding? This is not just a question of policy—it is a question of morality and responsibility.


Take Action Now


We cannot afford to wait and see what happens. Kansans must act now. Contact your federal representatives (Find Your Members in the U.S. Congress | Congress.gov | Library of Congress) and tell them: Medicaid is not just another federal program to be gutted—it is a lifeline for older Kansans. Do not allow reckless budget cuts to dismantle a system that so many depend on.



Stand up. Speak out. Demand that Medicaid funding is protected before it is too late. The future of long-term care in Kansas depends on it. Protect older Kansans. Protect Medicaid.

Understanding the Special Focus Facility Program

By Libby Hastings • April 21, 2025
Understanding the Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program: What Families Need to Know When Choosing a Nursing Home in Kansas When searching for a nursing home for a loved one, families often look for a place that will offer safe, reliable, and compassionate care. One important—but often overlooked—resource that can help inform that decision is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program , managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). What Is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program? The SFF Program was created by CMS to address the most persistent quality problems in nursing homes across the country. Every nursing home that accepts Medicare or Medicaid is regularly inspected to ensure it meets health and safety standards. Most nursing homes will have a few issues identified during these inspections—typically six to seven deficiencies on average—but some facilities consistently fall far below acceptable standards. These nursing homes: Have twice as many deficiencies as the average facility, Have more serious issues , including those that cause actual harm to residents, And show a long-term pattern of poor performance over a span of about three years. Facilities like these may fix issues temporarily, but often fail to address the root causes—resulting in a harmful cycle of repeated violations. That’s where the SFF program comes in. How the SFF Program Works CMS uses inspection data to score nursing homes based on both the number and severity of their deficiencies. Facilities with the highest scores (i.e., the most and most serious problems) are added to a list of SFF candidates . Each state is allowed only a limited number of active SFFs at a time—currently, only 88 facilities nationwide can be enrolled in the program. However, CMS maintains a much longer list of SFF candidates that also meet the criteria but haven't yet been selected for the program due to space limits. Once a facility is chosen as an active SFF: It is inspected every six months instead of the usual once a year. It may face progressive enforcement , such as financial penalties or losing eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid. It must show real, lasting improvements to graduate from the program. A facility "graduates" from the SFF program only after it has two consecutive inspections (after being named an SFF) with no more than 12 relatively minor deficiencies and none at a higher severity level. If a facility continues to have serious violations, CMS may consider terminating its participation in Medicare and/or Medicaid. Why This Matters to Kansas Familie s Being informed about a nursing home’s history can help protect your loved ones. Facilities in the SFF program—or on the candidate list—have serious quality concerns. While some may be working hard to improve, others may continue to struggle with systemic issues that put residents at risk. As of March 2025, the following nursing homes in Kansas are included in the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program: Excel Healthcare and Rehab Topeka (recently closed) Access Mental Health (Peabody) The following facilities in Kansas are currently on the SFF candidate list : Clearwater Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Good Samaritan Society- Liberal Kearny County Hospital Long-Term Care Unit Legacy at College Hill (Wichita) Legacy on 10th Avenue (Topeka) Medicalodges Jackson County Medicalodges Post Acute Care Center (Kansas City) Meridian Rehabilitation and Health Care Center (Wichita) Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation (Kansas City) Tanglewood Nursing and Rehabilitation (Topeka) The following facilities graduated from the SFF program: Advena Living of Cherryvale Life Care Center of Osawatomie Anew Healthcare Oxford is a facility that is no longer participating in the Medicare and Medicaid Program. We encourage families to take time to research and ask questions when considering a nursing home. You can access the full national SFF and candidate list on the CMS website here . KABC offers free unbiased Consumer Information Reports on all licensed adult care facilities in Kansas, helping you make an informed choice when deciding between long-term care options. Final Thoughts The Special Focus Facility Program exists to push underperforming nursing homes to do better—but it’s also a signal to the public. When selecting long-term care, knowing whether a facility is on this list can be an important part of making the best choice for your loved one. If you have questions about how to find quality nursing home care in Kansas or want help understanding a facility’s inspection history, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.

Advocacy in Action (April 2025): Legislative Recap

April 2, 2025
As we move further into 2025, we want to share an update on our legislative advocacy efforts this session. KABC remains committed to championing policies that protect and support older adults and individuals in long-term care. Here’s a look at key legislative developments and where things stand: