House Speaker Melvin Neufeld said Saturday a House plan to force negotiations between Kansas University Medical Center and KU Hospital needs to be part of the Legislature’s final budget.

The House has added a budget proviso that says any affiliation between KU Medical Center and Kansas City, Mo.-based St. Luke’s Hospital must be preceded by an agreement that settles differences between the medical center and KU Hospital.

KU Hospital officials have voiced concern about the proposed affiliation between KU Medical Center and St. Luke’s.

The budget proviso also states that if KU wins national designation as a cancer center, then KU Hospital must be the lead hospital.

While the House has endorsed the budget proviso, the Senate has no similar language. The two sides Saturday started negotiating differences in the two budgets as lawmakers sought to end the legislative session.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius vetoed a similar proviso earlier in the session.