TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed legislation Monday extending the duration of short-term health plans that don’t guarantee consumers coverage for pre-existing conditions and don’t comply with standards of the federal Affordable Care Act.
The Kansas Legislature passed a bill that would make it legal to sign up for this form of “short-term” health plan for 36 months, which would match federal regulations adopted during the term of President Donald Trump. Under current Kansas law, individuals can extend a one-year contract for 12 months.
The Democratic governor rejected a comparable bill in 2021, and both actions were endorsed by the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
