8+ hour, 27+ min ago (388+ words) The city of Olathe has extended its open enrollment window to Wednesday, Dec. 3, for city retirees facing significant premium increases in their health insurance costs next year. A retired city employee first reached out to KSHB 41 about this last month, citing a recent Olathe City Council meeting. At the meeting, multiple retirees said the city's health insurance premium increases could raise their health care costs by 500% to 900% in 2026, depending on their plan and coverage level. During an open enrollment help session at the end of November for retired Olathe city employees, city officials announced they would provide a $250 per month subsidy for certain health insurance plans. "The City Manager's Office understands that changes to the retiree health insurance plan for 2026 were shared with less than advance notice than many would have preferred, and we recognize that this has caused undue…...

2+ week, 5+ day ago (546+ words) OLATHE, Kan. " As families across the Kansas City-area compare health care plans during open enrollment, some retired Olathe city employees are grappling with skyrocketing premium increases they say threaten their retirement security. A retired city employee reached out to KSHB 41 about changes to Olathe's retiree health benefits. At the most recent Olathe City Council meeting, several retirees said the city's health insurance premium increases could raise their health care costs by 500% to 900% in 2026, depending on their plan and coverage level. Retired Olathe Deputy Fire Chief Todd Hart said he's moved his 31-year service plaque from his wall to his basement " a symbolic gesture representing his feelings about preparing for a 500% increase in his health care costs from the city. "All of a sudden now you're just going to break it off on the backs of the employees or the retirees?...

3+ week, 3+ hour ago (601+ words) Some retired Olathe city employees say the city's health insurance premium increases could raise their health care costs by 500% to 900% in 2026, depending on their plan and coverage level. A retired city employee reached out to KSHB 41, citing the most recent Olathe City Council meeting, where several city employees and retirees discussed the increased premiums. Recent data from KFF shows insurers offering Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans could increase premiums by around 18% for 2026. The price consumers pay could jump by 75% if subsidies for the program expire at the end of December. KFF data also shows premiums already went up 7% in 2025. Gary Nickerson, who served the Olathe community for decades as a firefighter and retired as a senior captain at 52, received an email from the city about a month ago notifying him of the changes. "I lived here since 1973 as an 11-year-old,…...

3+ week, 11+ hour ago (601+ words) Some retired Olathe city employees say the city's health insurance premium increases could raise their health care costs by 500% to 900% in 2026, depending on their plan and coverage level. A retired city employee reached out to KSHB 41, citing the most recent Olathe City Council meeting, where several city employees and retirees discussed the increased premiums. Recent data from KFF shows insurers offering Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans could increase premiums by around 18% for 2026. The price consumers pay could jump by 75% if subsidies for the program expire at the end of December. KFF data also shows premiums already went up 7% in 2025. Gary Nickerson, who served the Olathe community for decades as a firefighter and retired as a senior captain at 52, received an email from the city about a month ago notifying him of the changes. "I lived here since 1973 as an 11-year-old,…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago (504+ words) Open enrollment season is underway, but millions of Americans may soon face some sticker shock when they shop for health coverage. Premiums for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans and employer-sponsored coverage are set to rise at rates not seen in 15 years, according to new surveys and health policy experts. A recent survey from consulting firm Mercer shows employer health care plans could jump 9% in 2026 - the steepest increase since the late 2000s. ACA plans, which covered a record 24 million people this year, are projected to rise an average of 26% next year. In some states, the increases could be even higher if enhanced premium tax credits expire - subsidies that have helped keep costs lower for millions. Kitty Richards, a fiscal policy expert, said the hikes will touch almost every family. "It's going to be very typical for people to see their premiums doubling,…...

1+ mon, 1+ week ago (318+ words) Open enrollment is approaching, and consumers should prepare for increased premiums as they shop for health plans that work best for them. For many consumers, open enrollment represents a yearly deadline to secure health coverage. One retired volunteer, who gets her insurance on and off through the Marketplace, expressed concern about the rising costs. "Medical care should be a basic human right," she said. "I don't have it consistently. So having this as a safety net for people is very important." Recent data from KFF shows insurers offering Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans could increase premiums by around 18% for 2026. The price consumers pay could jump by 75% if subsidies for the program expire at the end of December. KFF data also shows premiums already went up 7% in 2025. "Health care costs have gone up faster than inflation," said Chris Garmon, a UMKC…...

2+ mon, 1+ day ago (198+ words) As Democrats cite changes to health care policy as their reason for not keeping the government funded, a new analysis from KFF shows how much more some Americans will pay for insurance premiums. Those who use Affordable Care Act-subsidized plans have had their premiums capped based on total income. If a plan exceeded that cap, the enrollee received a tax credit. The tax credit is set to expire because a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 ends this year. Democrats have sought to extend the provision, but Republicans have opposed continuing the subsidies. Currently, a family of four with a household income of $90,000 pays about $4,680 for health care premiums through the Affordable Care Act. That same family would lose $3,735 in tax credits, increasing their total premium to $8,415 a year. Citing federal data, KFF estimates the average subsidized enrollee would…...

2+ mon, 2+ day ago (117+ words) A health care technology services company plans to lay off more than 120 employees at its Overland Park location. KANSAS CITY, Mo. " A health care technology services company plans to lay off more than 120 employees at its Overland Park location. Pennsylvania-based United BioSource LLC, known as UBC, notified Kansas officials last week that it intends to lay off 123 on-site and remote workers in Kansas and Missouri associated with its offices at 12900 Foster St. in Overland Park. The layoffs are set to take effect around Nov. 26, 2025. KSHB 41 News has reached out to the company to learn more about the announcement. This story will be updated if a comment is received....

4+ mon, 4+ week ago (540+ words) KANSAS CITY, Mo. " Earlier this week, we told you about Medicaid cuts in President Trump's self-proclaimed "Big, Beautiful Bill." Because it's such a complex issue, we're continuing to break it down. I spoke to an economist who explained how these cuts could hurt providers that accept Medicaid. And to better illustrate what he shared, we stopped by a local ice cream shop to offer an analogy to highlight the potential impacts. THE ICE CREAM ANALOGY: The spot we visited was Foggi Ice Cream in Mission, Kan., where they use nitrogen to freeze their ice cream. One economist explains that Medicaid cuts could put plans for providers who rely on Medicaid dollars on ice. "So, people who are providing Medicaid are going to look at these new rules and say, 'You know, I have a business to run and if I'm…...

9+ mon, 2+ day ago (835+ words) The past few weeks, KSHB 41 has shared a number of stories involving a poor legislative safety and security audit at the Osawatomie State Hospital (OSH). The Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit (KLPA) found OSH does not adequately ensure the safety and security of its staff. Stepping away from the hospital's shortcomings, the Osawatomie State Psychiatric Hospital offers several important benefits to rural Kansas. "It's a huge employer," said Jamie Reavis, a former Mental Health Technician at Osawatomie State Hospital. According to the KLPA audit, OSH had 533 authorized positions in fiscal year 2024. "It's right over the hill and there's no other employment opportunities unless you go to Paola, Gardner, or Olathe, then you're getting to about an hour transit," Reavis told KSHB 41. A 2016 Bureau of Economic Analysis report, found the leading employment industry in Miami County, Kansas is Government and…...