(Missouri Independent) – With a deadline looming that could cost Missouri almost $2 billion in federal education aid, the bill to distribute the money passed the state Senate on Wednesday after Democrats slammed a zero-dollar funding line as a partisan attack on Planned Parenthood. The $4.6 billion spending bill approved on a 25-7 vote is the first legislation requiring […]
(Missouri Independent) – On a recent Tuesday evening in southeastern Missouri, John Freeze stood in front of yet another angry group of constituents. Some here believe the number of COVID-19 deaths are being purposefully inflated for financial gain. Among the culprits, in their mistaken view: Hospitals seeking Medicare reimbursements; The federal government, led by Dr. Anthony […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s state health department has applied to oversee federal family planning funds, a move reproductive health advocates fear would give the state power to cut off funding for providers who refer patients for abortion services. During his confirmation hearing late last month, former Department of Health and Senior Services Director Donald Kauerauf’s […]
Wright Memorial Hospital and the Grundy County Health Department are once again working together to offer sports physical exams for Trenton Middle School and Trenton High School students who plan to participate in athletic/cheerleading activities during the 2022-2023 school year. Sports physical exams at Pleasant View, Spickard, Laredo, Galt, and Humphreys schools will be scheduled […]
(Missouri Independent) – A COVID-19 vaccine for young children will be delayed by at least two months as Pfizer and BioNTech gather more information on a three-dose regimen. The disappointing news for many parents came after the Biden administration earlier had announced it was preparing to get the vaccines out to states as soon as […]
(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration is preparing to ship COVID-19 vaccines to the states as quickly as possible, should the Food and Drug Administration approve an emergency use authorization for kids under 5. White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients said Wednesday that approval of the specially formulated vaccine would make 18 million young […]
A $350,000 donation from the Mosaic Life Care Auxiliary will name two new areas at the Mosaic Life Care at St. Joseph, Cancer Care. The gift will name the cancer Ribbon Walk and Caregiver Lounge and support the addition of the cancer survivorship clinic. It is the largest commitment in history by the Auxiliary. Mosaic […]
(Missouri Independent) – State health director Donald Kauerauf adamantly spoke against mandating face masks and COVID-19 vaccines during a hearing Monday, as anti-vaccination demonstrators protested his confirmation in the halls outside. While protesters chanted outside the Capitol hearing room, senators inside grilled Kauerauf for nearly two hours on his views on how best to mitigate […]
Legislation that would make it easier for state lawmakers to block funding for abortion clinics is moving through the Missouri House. The bill would make it illegal for any public funds, including federal dollars, from being spent on abortion clinics or any facility with ties to abortion providers. It would also bar the […]
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is investigating four cases of Legionnaires’ disease among previously hospitalized patients at Phelps Health in Rolla, Missouri. The first case occurred in May 2021. The source of the bacteria that caused these individuals to acquire infection is under investigation. Out of an abundance of caution, DHSS is […]
(Missouri Independent) – Gov. Mike Parson proposed massive new spending on infrastructure and college buildings, and still found money to set aside for pensions and future revenue shortfalls, in the budget submitted Wednesday to lawmakers. Missouri will enter the new fiscal year with nearly $3 billion in surplus general revenue, an anticipation of record future tax collections, […]
Congressman Sam Graves and Congressman Jared Huffman introduced the bipartisan Save America’s Rural Hospitals Act to rescue rural hospitals on the brink of bankruptcy and help put these critical care providers back on solid ground. “This isn’t a new problem. Our rural hospitals have been struggling to keep their doors open to patients for years,” said […]
(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration on Friday launched a new website for Americans to request up to four free COVID-19 tests per household. The administration is buying 1 billion at-home rapid COVID-19 tests, and Americans will be able to begin ordering the tests online on Jan. 19 at COVIDtests.gov. This is part of the administration’s effort […]
More than half of Missouri families report paying more than $500 a month for child care, and child-care providers have been struggling to keep their doors open. Advocates for children say there are some promising actions the Legislature could take to improve both ends. Craig Stevenson, director of policy and advocacy with Kids Win Missouri, noted […]
(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday dealt a blow to the Biden administration’s fight against the pandemic, blocking a federal mandate that workers be vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19 — though the court allowed a separate rule requiring vaccinations for some health care workers. The two rulings represented a split victory for Republican attorneys general […]
The Missouri Attorney General urged the Federal Communications Commission to put in place measures that will help stem the tide of foreign-based illegal robocalls that attempt to scam Americans. “Combating annoying, and sometimes dangerous, robocalls is an important mission of the Attorney General’s Office. Using the latest technology and working with telecom partners to control […]
(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared unconvinced Friday of the Biden administration’s authority to impose a vaccine-or-test mandate on private businesses, casting doubt on a key piece of the White House COVID-19 response. The justices seemed potentially more comfortable with another Biden administration rule to fight the virus that requires certain […]
Wright Memorial Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. Wright Memorial underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review from October 5 – […]
The Grundy County Commission on November 30th approved a proposal from insurance broker HIC Agency Incorporated. The proposal involved a 2.97% increase only on health insurance, and its approval is contingent on making sure no existing providers are excluded or lost within the service area. County Clerk Betty Spickard reports the county will change from […]
(Missouri Independent) – Enforcement of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for millions of health care workers was blocked in 10 states on Monday, after a ruling by a federal judge in Missouri. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp affects the states involved in the lawsuit, including Missouri. The others are Iowa, Kansas, New […]
