MEDIA ALERT | KSHL Testifies to Prevent Waitlist for Frail & Elderly Waiver: Why In-Home Care Matters for Kansas Seniors — and Taxpayers

February 3, 2026, Topeka, Kansas

On Thursday, January 29, Chuck Schmidt, Kansas Silver Haired Legislature (KSHL) Speaker

Pro Tem, testified before House and Senate committees, urging lawmakers to fully fund the Frail

& Elderly (FE) Waiver to prevent a waiting list for home and community-based services.

The FE Waiver provides Kansas seniors an alternative to nursing home placement by covering

essential supports such as personal care, household assistance, and basic health services. These

services allow older Kansans to remain independent in their homes and live in the most

integrated setting possible.

According to the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), an estimated

$31 million is needed to prevent a waitlist from forming.

Schmidt coordinated his testimony with Dan Goodman of Kansas Advocates for Better Care

(KABC), which shares KSHL’s concerns about the consequences of delayed access to care.

KSHL emphasized that a waitlist for home-based services is not feasible for seniors. Delays in

access increase the likelihood that older Kansans will lose mobility and the ability to perform

daily activities, ultimately forcing more seniors into nursing homes — a more costly and less

preferred option.

What This Means for Kansas Seniors

Without timely in-home support, seniors across Kansas — in both rural and urban communities

— face higher risks of falls, hospitalization, caregiver burnout, and premature placement in

nursing facilities.

Why This Saves Kansas Taxpayer Dollars

In-home care costs significantly less than nursing home care and helps prevent avoidable

hospitalizations, reducing long-term Medicaid spending.

“Funding in-home care isn’t just the humane choice — it’s the fiscally responsible one. Keeping

seniors safely at home costs taxpayers far less than institutional care.” ~ Chuck Schmidt, Speaker

Pro Tem