To the editor:

As a student nurse, the health of Kansans is extremely important to me. When people don’t have access to health care, they are much more likely to die from preventable causes than those who can afford to see a doctor regularly. When women don’t have access to prenatal care, their babies are more likely to die before their first birthday. Kansas has a higher-than-national-average rate of infant mortality, and I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that this is due in part to the fact that Kansas has some of the most stringent guidelines in the nation to qualify for Medicaid. To qualify for coverage, a family of four cannot make more than $497 per month.

Furthermore, many rural hospitals are in danger of shutting down, and Medicaid expansion will keep their doors open. Without expansion, rural residents will have greater difficulty accessing healthcare, regardless of their current insurance plans.

The current administration in Kansas has refused to consider expanding Medicaid. Refusing to expand Medicaid is immoral and unconscionable, and comes at the cost of Kansans’ lives.