To the editor:

There is a lot at stake for Kansas hospitals according to the new report funded by the American Hospital Association. It is titled “Economic and Employment Effects of expanding KanCare in Kansas” and is authored by researchers at Regional Economic Models Inc. and George Washington University.

The federal funding associated with KanCare expansion will help create approximately 3,400 new jobs in 2014 and 4,000 new jobs by 2020 in the health care industry. This could result in a net cost savings for the state of Kansas from 2014-2020.

According to the American Hospital Association, refusing to expand our KanCare program will result in substantial cuts to Kansas hospitals, resulting in a loss of jobs and revenue needed for uninsured Kansans. Perhaps that is why Gov. Rick Scott of Florida, whose background is in the health care industry, has now accepted the Medicaid expansion as outlined in the Affordable Care Act. Why make a decision not to accept federal funding when it prevents the loss of nearly $2 billion over seven years that would go to help our most vulnerable citizens?

Hey, if it doesn’t work for us, it can be discontinued if it is not best serving the people of Kansas.