Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) proposed cutting funds to Osawatomie and Larned state hospitals by $20 million in his 2017-18 budget, KCUR 89.3 reports.
Here are three things to know.
1. Osawatomie (Kan.) State Hospital and Larned (Kan.) State Hospital are more dependent on state funds this fiscal year because of a shortage in federal funding. Gov. Brownback's budget calls for cutting state funds to both hospitals by $11.6 million and $8 million, respectively, for the fiscal year beginning July.
2. Osawatomie's federal Medicare payments were cut because of concerns over patient safety, resulting in a nearly $1 million loss per month since December 2015, according to the report. The proposed state budget cuts would shrink Osawatomie hospital's budget by about 38 percent next fiscal year.
3. Larned State Hospital is reimbursing the federal government for overpayments and will most likely not receive federal funding next fiscal year, according to the report. The budget cuts would slash the hospital's budget by about 13 percent.