By ANDY MARSO

The state official who heads KanCare said Friday that the Medicaid program’s long-vacant inspector general position may not need to be filled. The KanCare inspector general would serve as a watchdog over the $3 billion contracts the state awarded to three private insurance companies to administer

Medicaid services. Susan Mosier, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, told a legislative committee Friday that the state is struggling to find a qualified candidate who will take on the job. But she said the program still has plenty of oversight at the federal level, with audits from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Medicaid Integrity Institute, which is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice. “We consider the integrity of the program as one of our highest priorities,” Mosier said.

“One of the reasons I talked about the other sorts of audits that are going in is, there are protections in place.” Rep. Jim Ward, a Democrat and frequent KanCare critic, asked whether that meant Mosier’s department believes KanCare doesn’t need an inspector general.

“Is that what you’re advocating?” Ward asked. “I think that’s actually a fair question to ask,” Mosier said. Mosier said the KanCare inspector general was a relatively new position and the state should ask “what is our goal in terms of program integrity and are we meeting it through all the other areas.”

After the hearing Mosier said the search for an inspector general continues but it’s worth considering whether the position should be eliminated. “It is something that we should review in terms of whether or not that position would be needed in the future,” Mosier said. “That decision hasn’t been made. That’s just something to consider.” Mosier said the Legislature would need to pass a bill to eliminate the position.

The inspector general position has been vacant for almost a year, after the appointment of former Rep. Phil Hermanson faltered. Hermanson, a Wichita Republican, resigned prior to a Senate confirmation hearing after questions arose about his qualifications and background. Ward said the previous willingness to appoint someone with a background as thin as

Hermanson’s made it hard to believe Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration was now finding it difficult to find anyone it would deem suitable for the $77,000 per year job.

“I don’t think they want an inspector general,” Ward said. The administration has said it changed its vetting process for the position after Hermanson resigned. Ward said his preference would be to fill the position even if it requires a pay bump, but if the administration requested the job be eliminated, he believes it would have the votes. Sean Gatewood, interim executive director of the Kansas Health Consumer Coalition, said it would be a mistake to eliminate the inspector general because it provides the only state-level independent oversight of KanCare, which is one of the state’s largest expenses and serves more than 400,000 Kansans.

“We obviously believe that that much state money and this many lives in the balance need some sort of independent oversight,” Gatewood said.

Andy Marso is a reporter for Heartland Health Monitor, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas.

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — In the years since a 2011 tornado devastated Joplin, school districts in southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas have scrambled to provide safe rooms to protect their students, staff and patrons in severe weather.

The Joplin Globe reports more than $100 million has been spent on the projects since the tornado, which killed 161 people and destroyed thousands of structures, including nearly a dozen school buildings.

School districts including Joplin, Webb City and Jasper in Missouri and Galena and Baxter Springs in Kansas have built at least one community safe room since the tornado. Crews are working in many other districts to complete or start construction on safe rooms.

The Riverton, Kansas, district recently decided to put a bond issue on April’s ballot that would include funds for storm shelters.

NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Secret Service says a small drone crashed overnight at the White House complex while the president was in India.

An investigation is underway to determine its origin and identify suspects and their motive.

Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary says the device was a quadcopter and was about 2 feet in diameter. A quadcopter is an unmanned aircraft that is lifted by four propellers.

Leary says the quadcopter was flying at a very low altitude before it crashed on the southeast side of the executive mansion around 3:08 a.m. Monday.

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were in New Delhi and not at the White House.

Leary says in a statement that the White House complex was immediately locked down until the device was examined and cleared.

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NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A spokesman for President Barack Obama says a “device” has been found on the grounds of the White House but that it poses no threat.

Spokesman Josh Earnest says Secret Service agents recovered the object but that early indications are that it does not pose a threat to anyone in the building.

Obama and his wife, Michelle, are on a three-day visit to India, with a stop planned in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday before they return to Washington.

The White House was dark during Monday’s pre-dawn hours and emergency vehicles with lights flashing were clustered near the southeast entrance to the mansion.

A security perimeter had been set up around the White House to restrict access.

Secret Service had no immediate comment on what it found.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chinese consulate opposes a Missouri measure encouraging the U.S. government to resume trade talks with and continue weapons sales to Taiwan.
State lawmakers received letters this month from the Chinese consulate in Chicago.
The letter says treating Taiwan as an independent country is a mistake. It mentions that China is the third largest export destination for Missouri’s products and says China wants to advance that relationship.

The measure drawing this opposition is a resolution declaring Missouri’s support for continued trade with Taiwan. The measure also supports Taiwan’s entry into some United Nations organizations.

The Chinese consulate’s letter says Taiwan has no right to join international organizations where membership is restricted to sovereign countries.
Rep. Denny Hoskins, of Warrensburg, sponsored the measure.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Some members of a class that donated a Thomas Hart Benton painting to a Shawnee Mission school in the 1950s are wondering where the gift is being kept.

The district says it has the painting, called “Utah Highlands,” but it isn’t saying where. The district’s spokeswoman says the location is being kept secret for security reasons because the painting is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars

The students spent $750 to buy the painting in 1957. Its value was appraised a few years ago at $700,000.

The painting hung for years in the library of the school now called Shawnee Mission North. It hasn’t been seen publicly since 2008.

The Kansas City Star reports that school administrators have worried about storing the painting for years as its value increased.

SPRINGFIELD (AP) – A Springfield police officer is hospitalized after being shot.

Police say the officer was responding to a “check person” call in north Springfield about 1:30 a.m. Monday when the suspect pulled a gun and shot the officer.

Springfield police Capt. Greg Higdon says the suspect fled and has not been apprehended.

Higdon says the officer was being treated for serious injuries but a condition report was not available.

A description of the shooter and further details were not immediately available.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Business groups say they support a proposed multi-year review of Missouri’s tax code by a panel of experts.
Republican Sen. Bob Dixon, of Springfield, said an in-depth study of the tax code was desperately needed during a Senate committee hearing on the measure.
He says officials, tax attorneys, accountants and business owners, would study the code and produce a report as a starting point for an update of the code.
Dixon’s proposal would also create an independent office to advocate for taxpayers and outline a right to fair and equal application of the tax code.
Lobbyists for business groups say those changes would help protect taxpayers.
The Senate committee has not voted on the proposal.