Children's Mercy to Drop ACA Coverage as Insurer Exits Kansas Market
Children's Mercy, the only comprehensive pediatric health system in the Kansas City region, announced it will stop accepting Affordable Care Act marketplace insurance starting Jan. 1, after Medica, its sole contracted ACA plan, withdrew from two Kansas counties and six Missouri counties. The change affects about 400 current patients, who hospital leaders say will need help finding continuity of care; parents warn that losing network access could force families to travel hours to other cities for pediatric specialty care. Kansas Democratic gubernatorial nominee Cindy Holscher linked the situation to the state's refusal to expand Medicaid, while her Republican opponent Ty Masterson, a longtime expansion opponent, did not respond to questions. Kansas is one of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid, and a hospital association spokeswoman noted multiple factors, including reimbursement rates and plan administration, drive insurer market exits, complicating any single explanation.