KMS Newsletters

KDHE Announces the Second Round of RHTP Grant Opportunities for Kansas Providers, Organizations

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has announced the second year of funding opportunities through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), making $55 million available to eligible rural healthcare providers across Kansas.

As KMS continues to advocate for strong, sustainable healthcare access across Kansas, we encourage eligible members and healthcare organizations to explore these funding opportunities and consider how they may support innovative approaches to care delivery in their communities. These investments are intended to strengthen rural healthcare delivery, support workforce recruitment and retention efforts, advance value-based care initiatives, and improve access to high-quality care in communities across the state.

Eligible applicants include rural hospitals, physician practices, solo practitioners, rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, local health departments, tribal healthcare facilities, behavioral health providers, substance use disorder treatment facilities, and long-term care facilities.

Applications will open on October 2, 2026, and must be submitted by November 13, 2026. KDHE will also host an informational webinar on October 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. for organizations interested in learning more about eligibility requirements and the application process.

Available funding opportunities include:

• Regional Partnership Grant Program (RPGP): $44 million to support collaborative initiatives that improve preventive care, address social drivers of health, strengthen workforce recruitment and retention, advance value-based care, and promote innovative healthcare technologies. Apply here
• Transformative Capital Investment Grant Program (CAP): $11 million to help rural providers invest in infrastructure and operational improvements that transform care delivery. Apply here

For additional information, grant materials, and webinar registration details, visit the Kansas Rural Health Transformation Program website.

Election Day Closing In

Election day is approaching and will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. There will be statewide races on the ballot including Governor, Insurance Commissioner, and Attorney General, as well as a U.S. Senate seat, and every seat in the Kansas House of Representatives.

If you have any questions regarding races or candidates in your area, please do not hesitate to contact Rachelle Colombo at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (785) 235-2383.

2027 KMS Membership Dues

We appreciate your dedicated membership and continued involvement in the Kansas Medical Society. We have begun dues collection for the 2027 membership year and you can expect to receive your 2027 invoice by mail in late October.

Due to increasing costs in credit card processing fees, we have implemented a 3% fee that will be collected for all credit card transactions. Members who wish to avoid this fee may pay by check through the mail. A return envelope will continue to be included with future dues mailings for your convenience.

If you have any questions regarding your membership or invoice, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (785) 235-2383. We look forward to serving you in the coming year.

2027 Advocacy Day

We are pleased to announce, that registration for the 2027 KMS Advocacy Day is officially open! Join physicians from across Kansas as we come together to advocate for physician-led care and discuss the issues shaping the future of medicine. This annual event provides a unique opportunity to meet directly with state legislators, share your perspective, and make a meaningful impact on health care policy. We hope you'll join us and be part of the collective voice advancing medicine in Kansas.

Contribute to KaMPAC

The Kansas Medical Society Political Action Committee (KaMPAC) supports candidates and elected officials who value physician input and are committed to thoughtful discussions on healthcare policy. By contributing to KaMPAC, physicians help ensure that the medical profession continues to have a voice in the conversations shaping healthcare across our state.

Click here to contribute.

Start the Conversation Today

Advocacy Day is most effective when it's part of an ongoing relationship. Take a few minutes to identify your elected officials and introduce yourself as a local physician and healthcare resource.

Year-round communication helps build trust, strengthen dialogue, and create more productive conversations when you meet in person.

Click here to find your legislators.

Supporting Physicians, Strengthening Medicine

At the Kansas Medical Society, advocacy extends beyond legislative efforts. It includes fostering a culture where physicians can openly discuss challenges and celebrate achievements. Our Professionals' Health Program (PHP) is dedicated to helping physicians maintain their health and well-being by developing strategies to help them practice successfully. Through a confidential and supportive approach, the program promotes early recognition, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation for physicians facing personal or professional challenges. We encourage you all to start meaningful conversations about mental health and well-being with your peers. It is an act of strength that benefits the entire profession.

This month, we also recognize the countless contributions of women physicians and women in medicine. Through their compassion, leadership, and dedication to service, women continue to make a meaningful impact in their communities and in the lives of those around them. Whether they are caring for patients, mentoring future physicians, advancing research, supporting their families, or advocating for positive change, women bring diverse perspectives and experiences that enrich the health care landscape. Their resilience, innovation, and commitment to service help build stronger communities and inspire future generations to pursue lives of purpose and impact. We express our deep gratitude for each and every woman who has served or is serving in the medical field.

Whether through teaching, collaboration, or advocacy, every connection within our medical community contributes to a healthier environment for physicians and the patients they serve. By listening, sharing experiences, and supporting one another, we continue to strengthen a united voice for medicine across Kansas.

National Physician Suicide Awareness Day

September 17^th is National Physician Suicide Awareness Day, a time to recognize the unique mental health challenges physicians face and to reaffirm our commitment to supporting one another. The day serves as an important reminder that burnout, stress, depression, and other mental health concerns can affect anyone, regardless of experience or specialty.

By fostering open conversations, reducing stigma, and encouraging early access to support, we can help ensure physicians receive the care they need before a crisis develops. Together, we can strengthen a culture of compassion, connection, and well-being for all physicians. Please review the resources below to learn more and access support.

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KMS PHP Resources

Through the KMS Professionals' Health Program (PHP), we support physicians facing personal or professional challenges that may affect their well-being. Recognizing concerns early and taking action can make a critical difference, helping protect a physician's health, career, and quality of life.

Click here for resources.

^{By law, all reports to the KMS–PHP are regarded as privileged and confidential. Any person who, in good faith, reports or provides information about a healthcare provider shall not be liable in a civil action for damages or other relief arising from the reporting or providing information unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the report or information was completely false and was known to the person making the report. (KSA 65-4923 or 65-4924).}

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Additional Resources

National Suicide Prevention & Crisis Lifeline (24/7/365)

Website: https://988lifeline.org/

Chat: 988lifeline.org

Phone: 1 (800) 273-8255 or 988

^{*Both will take you to the same line*}

Physician Support Line (8am-1am)

^{*Psychiatrist available 8AM-1AM every day. No appointment necessary.*}

Website: https://www.physiciansupportline.com/

Phone: 1 (888) 409-0141

Medicare Payment Reform Update

The Patients First Act (H.R. 9693), introduced to Congress on July 15^th, 2026, aims to create a more stable and predictable Medicare physician payment system. Based on data from the proposed 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, recent analysis indicates that many common physician services would receive higher reimbursement under the bill than under current law, particularly for work-intensive services and practices serving rural and non-metropolitan communities.

Supported by KMS and the AMA, the legislation reflects longstanding physician priorities, including payment stability, recognition of rising practice costs, reduced administrative burden, and improved patient access to care.

Find more information here.

Join Us for Advocacy Day

Change begins with physician engagement. Join your fellow physicians across Kansas for the annual Physician Advocacy Day & Legislative Luncheon, which will take place on Wednesday, January 27th, 2027 at the Kansas Medical Society office in Topeka, KS. This is an opportunity to connect face-to-face with your legislators, advocate for your patients and profession, and help influence decisions that will shape healthcare across our state.

Click here for more event details.

^{*Registration coming soon}

Contribute to KaMPAC

The Kansas Medical Society Political Action Committee (KaMPAC) supports candidates and elected officials who value physician input and are committed to thoughtful discussions on healthcare policy. By contributing to KaMPAC, physicians help ensure that the medical profession continues to have a voice in the conversations shaping healthcare across our state.

Click here to contribute.

Start the Conversation Today

Advocacy Day is most effective when it's part of an ongoing relationship. Take a few minutes to identify your elected officials and introduce yourself as a local physician and healthcare resource.

Year-round communication helps build trust, strengthen dialogue, and create more productive conversations when you meet in person.

Click here to find your legislators.

Election Season in Full Swing

The dust has settled following the June 1st candidate filing deadline. With the field set, the election season is officially underway as the August 4th primary election is just around the corner. This year we are set to see elections for a U.S. Senate seat, all 4 congressional seats, all statewide offices, 2 state senate seats and all 125 house seats. A complete listing of all candidates in the primary election can be found here.

The race to replace Governor Laura Kelly (D), who is term limited, has attracted a crowded field. There are 7 candidates in the Republican primary and 3 candidates in the Democratic primary. 

There are only two Kansas Senate seats which will hold special elections this year. In District 24, Senator Scott Hill (R-Abilene), who replaced J.R. Claeys in 2025, is running unopposed in both the primary and general elections. In District 25, Senator Silas Miller (D-Wichita), who replaced Mary Ware in 2025, will see opposition in the general election only.

All 125 Kansas House seats are up for election.  Republicans currently hold 88 seats while Democrats hold 37 seats. Following the filing deadline, there were 260 candidates filed for House seats, including 136 Republicans and 124 Democrats. However, that could change somewhat, as the Secretary of State’s office has been announcing the invalidation of a handful of filings. There were 14 incumbent legislators that did not file for reelection. The House of Representatives is already guaranteed to have an 11% turnover rate.  That rate will increase as some incumbents will likely be defeated in the primary and general elections. Historically, the elections yield a 20-25% turnover rate.

There are 25 Republican primaries and 18 Democrat primaries. Of these primaries, 8 races (5 Republican and 3 Democratic) are primary-only, meaning we’ll know those legislators after the August 4th election date. Further, there are 33 seats (18 Republicans and 15 Democrats) with no opposition in either the primary or general election.  

What does this mean for KMS? In addition to welcoming many new members in the House, we will be experiencing turnover in the governor’s office, potentially in Senate leadership and most definitely in House leadership. Advocacy is our organization’s number one priority. It will be critical for us to engage with new and incumbent candidates throughout the election season to develop and grow our relationships with lawmakers. With change comes opportunity to make new connections and educate candidates on the issues impacting the house of medicine.

Critical to our efforts is making strategic campaign contributions to candidates who have a record supporting KMS in the statehouse or who demonstrate a willingness to work with KMS on issues important to physicians. To that end, I urge you to consider making a contribution to our political action committee KaMPAC to help bolster these efforts. Every dollar contributed to KaMPAC is used exclusively to support candidates for the Kansas House and Senate.  

It is always a privilege to represent you and advocate on your behalf in the Kansas Statehouse. If you have questions about legislative or election matters, please reach out.

Sincerely, 

Key Takeaways from the 2026 Legislative Session

Politics at play

As expected, the 2026 Legislative Session was defined by opposing political platforms and the impending elections. Three Senators, including the President, are running for Governor, and at least three members of the House of Representatives, including the Speaker, are running for statewide offices. The Republican supermajority was determined to develop a budget independent from Democrat Governor Laura Kelly, and to run an aggressively abbreviated calendar. The legislature adjourned its regular session in a record 54 days, returning ten days later for a two-day wrap-up session to take up issues vetoed by the Governor. Of the more than two dozen vetoed items, they ultimately succeeded in overriding 14 of the 16 issues they considered, many of which were budget items. One line item the Governor vetoed would have moved Kansas to the Federal vaccination schedule – a policy that KMS opposed. The Legislature chose to let the Governor’s veto stand on this measure.

Wins and Challenges

Despite the somewhat chaotic and contentious tenor of the session, KMS was successful in pursuing several key priorities. HB 2366 which would have allowed naturopathic doctors to prescribe drugs and controlled substances without physician oversight, and also perform certain invasive procedures was defeated.   The bill failed on a tie vote on the floor of the House and efforts to resurrect the issue did not prevail.

Other scope of practice issues that advanced included HB 2068, which allows pharmacists to “initiate treatment” (prescribe) for conditions that do not require a new diagnosis, are minor and generally self-limiting, or constitute an emergency if the prescription is not immediately dispensed. KMS opposed the measure but succeeded in adding several amendments to narrow the bill, including limiting prescribing to a 90 day supply, not allowing for the prescribing of controlled substances except for medication assisted therapy for addiction, and adding liability insurance requirements for pharmacists including participation in the Health Care Stabilization Fund. Similarly, HB 2223 allowing optometrists to, among other things, perform two laser procedures independently, also passed after a several-year push by optometrists. The optometrists did agree to several amendments narrowing the scope expansion, including a KMS amendment to require physician involvement in approving new technologies or procedures, and also a requirement that optometrists participate in the Health Care Stabilization Fund. 

While not a scope of practice bill, HB 2509 requires all APRNs to carry a minimum of $1M in malpractice insurance and participate in the Health Care Stabilization Fund. The bill passed both the House and Senate with supermajority margins and was signed into law by the Governor. This bill, along with the amendments adopted in HB 2068 and HB 2223 have established a new policy standard that any provider which is independently performing any aspect of medical practice must purchase the same minimum level of malpractice coverage and participate in the Health Care Stabilization Fund. KMS supported HB 2509 and has long advocated for holding providers to the same requirements if they are granted the same practice privileges.

Other issues that advanced include HB 2702, updating and modernizing the physician assistant/associate licensure act with necessary changes to better reflect current practices in diverse clinical practice settings, and also to reduce outdated and burdensome regulations. The bill did not expand PA scope of practice. Another bill which has positive implications for physician workforce issues, HB 2374, expands the Kansas Medical Student Loan Program beyond the primary care specialties to allow for other specialties to participate in this program which provides student loans which can be repaid with practice in rural and underserved areas. The program has proven to be very effective at attracting and retaining physicians in our less populous areas. 

Takeaway from 2026 Session

In the end, KMS as always, emphasized to legislators the importance of education and training of health professionals in order to maintain high quality care and patient safety. We also continued to advocate for policies which promote a fair and stable professional liability environment. Also, thankfully efforts to eliminate or weaken vaccination requirements did not prevail.

With the session now over, elections are officially in full swing, not only for Governor and statewide office, but the entire House of Representatives stands for re-election. Many of our most loyal supporters will face difficult races or may choose to retire. If you have not already, please contribute to KaMPAC today so that we can support legislators who share our value of ensuring access to a physician-led team for all Kansans.

It is always a privilege to represent you and advocate on your behalf in the Kansas Statehouse. If you have questions about legislative or election matters, please reach out.

Sincerely, 

Advocacy & Elections Forum Canceled

The Kansas Medical Society’s Advocacy & Elections Forum, originally scheduled for May 1st, has been canceled due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts. We are exploring options to reschedule the event at a later date and will share updates as they become available. 

We sincerely appreciate the demonstrated interest in this event, and we remain committed to providing meaningful opportunities for member involvement in the future. Your engagement in advocacy and the electoral process is incredibly important. Thank you for your continued support of the Kansas Medical Society.

Earl L. Mills Educational Trust

Scholarship funds are available from the Earl Mills Educational Trust to deserving physicians who meet the following criteria:

1. Applicants must have practiced in Kansas continuously for at least a five-year period and may not be a member of a medical group of more than five practicing physicians.
2. Funds may be used for study in medicine or health care for a period of at least four months, but no more than one year, at an approved institution.

In addition, the Earl Mills Educational Trust provides funds for educational seminars in Sedgwick County, Kansas, which support post-graduate medical opportunities to practicing physicians.

The deadline for receipt of applications is August 31, 2026.

Applications should be sent to:

Weekend Moonlighting/Locums: Support Military Medical Readiness in Kansas

Leidos QTC is currently seeking to panel a select group of Kansas-licensed Physicians (MD/DO) to support the Department of Defense’s Reserve Health Readiness Program (RHRP-3).

We are looking for physicians to provide weekend PRN medical coverage for military reserve units (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and National Guard) at Group Events across the state. The scope of work involves conducting standard Physical Health Assessments (PHAs) to ensure our service members are medically cleared and deployable.

Opportunity Highlights:

• Compensation: Highly competitive $900 flat daily rate (1099 Independent Contractor).
• The Work: Low-stress, high-impact clinical work. No prescribing, critical care, or long-term patient management.
• Zero-Obligation Roster: Once you are pre-paneled, you simply pick up weekend events only when they fit your schedule. There are no minimum shift requirements and no obligation to accept any event.
• Travel: All flights, hotels, and rental cars are coordinated and paid for by Leidos QTC. Providers also receive a GSA per diem for meals.
• Malpractice: Comprehensive malpractice insurance coverage is available through QTC for $25/day (or you may use your own locums coverage).

This is an excellent, low-stress moonlighting opportunity for physicians looking to earn supplemental income while serving those who serve.

To learn more or get pre-paneled for upcoming Kansas events, please email your CV/Resume to:

Remembering Mary Ann Starbuck

It is with great sadness that we share with you, our dear friend Mary Ann Starbuck has passed away. She passed peacefully on her birthday surrounded by loved ones at 87 years old. If you have ever contacted the Kansas Medical Society, you've more than likely had the pleasure of talking with our sweet Mary Ann. For 32 years at the KMS office, she greeted all who visited with warmth and a smile. Mary Ann was always willing to lend a hand, and if you had a few extra minutes to spare, catch up and connect. She will be deeply missed, but her presence will forever remain a thread woven into the tapestry that is the story of the Kansas Medical Society. To view Mary Ann's obituary, please click here

A Message from KMS Executive Director

The Kansas legislature returns to Topeka and will begin the 90-day session on Monday, January 12^th. Though elections may feel far away, their impending impact already looms large over the Statehouse Dome. Four Senators of the forty-member body have already filed for statewide office, with two democrats and one Republican running for Governor, another running for Insurance Commissioner. The House will also be affected by the pressure to kick-off campaign season, with the Speaker of the House also running for Insurance Commissioner. While this may not seem relevant now, it will no doubt impact the issues each chamber champions, party positions, and efforts to hasten the legislative session so candidates can begin hitting doorsteps and raising money earlier rather than later. Because it is the second year in the legislative biennium, bills from last year can carry forward without re-introduction and committees are likely to begin hearings and work in the first week. 

Lawmakers have already begun to outline priorities, with many focused on allocation of the $222 million Rural Health Transformation Grant which was awarded by the federal government and will be appropriated over a five-year period. The grant required specific objectives to encourage self-sustaining projects over time. The Kansas Medical Society has been appointed by Governor Kelly to serve on the Rural Health Transformation Initiative Alliance to provide input on the implementation of the grant funds.  The federal government did not provide a role for state legislatures in the grant process, resulting in frustration among lawmakers who are interested in the policy and appropriations and how both will overlap with state initiatives. As a result, there has been growing discussion among legislators about legislation to provide a clear role for state lawmakers in oversight and implementation of the grant funds.  

There are several issues that will carry forward from the 2025 session, including in particular HB 2223, the Optometric Scope of Practice Bill. KMS has continued to have conversations with the ophthalmologic community and the Optometric Association about our objections to the bill as it is currently written, and how it could be improved. However, because the bill has already advanced last year from the Kansas House of Representatives with strong support (97-24 vote) and appears to have significant support in the Senate as well, it is positioned to be passed in some form this session The bill authorizes optometrists to perform three laser surgical procedures, and also allows the Optometric Board of Examiners to approve the use of new technologies or procedures without going to the legislature for additional authorization. KMS requested the bill be amended to instead require the existing Interprofessional Advisory Committee, comprised of 3 ophthalmologists and 3 optometrists, to meet and review new technologies or procedures and reach a majority vote to recommend their use to the board before being implemented. This preserves physician oversight in medical technology and practice. The Kansas Optometric Association has agreed to include this amendment in the bill moving forward. We also requested they include language requiring optometrists to participate in the Health Care Stabilization Fund to ensure that patients are assured a right to recovery for injuries caused by negligence as optometrists independently take on procedures that could result in patient harm. We expect that the Senate Health committee will pick up where it left off on this issue and could take action on the bill early in the session without another hearing since it was considered last session. The Kansas Medical Society opposes HB 2223 but is seeking the requested amendments in the event that it moves forward.

There will undoubtedly be other issues that carry forward and many new ones that crop up in the volatile vortex of the political process. The Kansas Medical Society is present at the statehouse every day, monitoring issues impacting the practice of medicine and building relationships to inform Kansas policymakers. If you have not already, we encourage you to register for The Kansas Medical Society Advocacy Day on Wednesday, January 21st. You will hear from House and Senate Leaders about their priorities and their response to the professions’ concerns. Both the Kansas Insurance Commissioner and the Governor have accepted our invitation to share in our event as well. Most importantly, we are looking forward to hearing from you and engaging you in our advocacy for your profession and patients. Please sign up to join us today.

As always, we are here to serve you and honored to do so. Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions about the legislative process or issues.

Issue Brief: Medical Malpractice Update

Last month we highlighted an issue – medical malpractice - that for much of the past two and a half decades has not been front of mind for physicians, hospitals and other healthcare professionals. This month we continue to shine a light on this issue and what recent developments means for physicians and others, particularly with some significantly higher jury verdicts in Kansas and the potential for the loss of crucial tort reforms. 

Once very rare, enormous jury verdicts against physicians and hospitals are now happening with frightening frequency around the country. Last month we noted that perhaps because of the public’s post-pandemic loss of trust in established institutions and experts in all callings, including medicine – juries seem more willing to assess large damage awards to plaintiffs. This shift in juror attitudes is ominous, particularly in healthcare when injuries can be severe with lengthy associated continuing care costs, as well as significant noneconomic (“pain and suffering”) damages. While multi-million dollar awards are still relatively rare in Kansas, but with two in the last year alone, it is probably unrealistic to think that the national trend for higher jury verdicts won’t continue to spread here, particularly if our tort reforms are lost or further weakened.

As noted earlier, Kansas has a comprehensive, effective tort reform architecture. It carefully strikes a necessary balance between the rights of patients to have an assured source of recovery for injuries caused by medical negligence, with the need for the state to have a tort liability environment that allows physicians and other healthcare professionals to be able to practice here with affordable and available liability insurance. Though our tort reforms have proven to be effective, durable and constitutionally sound (at least for now), they are by no means bulletproof, as they can be weakened or lost altogether by legislative or judicial action.  

It has been nearly seven years since the Kansas Supreme Court struck down the cap on noneconomic damages in a motor vehicle injury case. While the plaintiffs’ bar has been celebrating the elimination of one of the pillars of Kansas’ tort reforms, it wasn’t clear if the decision was also broad enough to strike down the cap on damages for medical malpractice cases.  

There is now a medical malpractice case that is positioned to begin working its way up the judicial appeals ladder that may provide us with an answer the question of whether the cap (and some important, related reforms) still stands in medical malpractice cases. If the case reaches the Kansas Supreme Court, the verdict of the Court will be huge either way. If the cap is allowed to remain in place for medical malpractice cases, it will remove any uncertainty as to its applicability, and be a positive outcome for continued stability and affordable premiums. If however, the Court declares the cap to be unconstitutional for any one of several reasons certain to be asserted by the plaintiffs bar, it will be a catastrophic blow to the stable, affordable liability environment that Kansas physicians have known for the past twenty-five years.

The loss of the cap on noneconomic (“pain and suffering”) damages would fundamentally alter the liability landscape for healthcare professionals and institutions in Kansas. Without question liability insurance costs would increase. With public attitudes about litigation changing, and with juries more willing to justify large verdicts against those in a healthcare system that they view as excessively costly and difficult to navigate, well…if you have any doubts about how the plaintiffs’ bar will respond to this opportunity, just turn on the television.

Next Month's Issue Brief: 

What are the politcs surrounding this issue in Kansas?

Practical Uses of AI in Clinical Care 

For those interested in the use of artificial intelligence in the clinical setting, please click the link below to learn about several upcoming virtual seminars. These seminars offer valuable opportunities to learn from KU experts and clinicians who are actively using AI in their clinical workflows.

Click Here to learn more.