12 April 2005

Governor signs two bills to expand health care options
One gives tax credits to small businesses, the other creates cancer drug repository

As part of her vision for a Healthy Kansas, Governor Kathleen Sebelius today signed into law two bills to expand health care options for Kansans. One bill gives small businesses a tax credit for offering health savings accounts to employees, while the other establishes a cancer drug repository.

“We are facing a quiet crisis in health care. That requires us to look at every option for making health care more affordable and accessible. Our first priority is to increase the number of businesses, especially small businesses, that offer health insurance to employees. That’s the most cost-effective way to cover more Kansans and that’s why I support giving tax credits to small businesses who offer coverage,” Governor Sebelius said.

SB 257 adds health savings accounts to the list of health plans that small businesses may contribute to and receive a tax credit. The bill encourages employers to offer health coverage by making the credits available to small businesses that have not contributed to a covered employee’s health insurance premium or health savings account in the previous two years. Small businesses are defined as having between two and 50 eligible employees, a majority of whom are employed in Kansas.

The second piece of legislation creates a cancer drug repository in Kansas.

“While medical advances continue to improve the odds in the fight against cancer, sadly not every patient recovers. Often, they leave behind a large amount of medicine, most of which is very expensive. Rather than letting these medicines go to waste, the cancer drug repository will accept donations of these critical medicines and make sure they get to Kansans in need,” the Governor said.

HB 2077 establishes a cancer drug repository program through which specific donated cancer drugs could be dispensed to eligible individuals. The State Board of Pharmacy will set eligibility standards and procedures for accepting and handling donated drugs.