In Kansas News
A Republican budget proposal could cause an estimated 13,000 Kansans to lose Medicaid coverage. Zane Irwin of the Kansas News Service has more:
An analysis by Manatt Health finds the plan would cut almost $3.8 billion in state and federal Medicaid funding for Kansans.
Proponents say the changes will reduce fraud and waste in the program that covers 360,000 Kansans.
David Jordan is president and CEO of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, which co-funded the study with the REACH Healthcare Foundation. He says Medicaid cuts would hurt rural hospitals.
“You can't take that level of funding out without hospitals having to make tough decisions about whether or not they keep their doors open.”
The U.S. Senate is working on its own version of the bill.
Johnson County, Kansas, health leaders say the impact of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to gut a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory panel is still unknown.
The panel's main function is to make recommendations on things like who should get vaccines, what age groups should be prioritized and how often vaccines should be administered. Charlie Hunt heads the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment. He says they rely on these recommendations.
“So if a situation occurs where the recommendations from CDC end up differing substantially from other leading medical and scientific organizations, that puts us in a really difficult position in terms of what guidance we follow.”
Hunt says the panel also impacts how they pay for vaccines and whether insurance will cover them for the public.
In Missouri news
Missouri lawmakers today (Wednesday) passed legislation that gives $100 million dollars to St. Louis for disaster relief.
St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Kellogg reports.
The Missouri House voted 143-2 to pass the legislation. The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Kehoe, who’s expected to sign it.
In the original bill, $25 million was initially set aside for disaster relief for multiple storm-affected areas of Missouri.
Through negotiations in the Senate, it now includes $100 million exclusively to St. Louis in response to the May 16th tornado.
House Speaker Jon Patterson says he was very much in favor of the additional funding to St. Louis.
“We always talk about St Louis being the economic engine of our state. It's one of the greatest American cities that we have. It is hurting.”
The legislation also funds other projects in the state, such as nearly 50 million for a mental health hospital in Kansas City.
The Missouri legislature passed a bill today (Wednesday) that would allow the state to help pay for new stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals.
Members of the Missouri House voted 90-58 to pass the legislation. Because the House did not change the Senate bill, it now goes to Gov. Mike Kehoe. He is expected to sign the legislation.
Support for the bill came from both Democrats and Republicans. That includes Kansas City Democrat Mark Sharp.
He was doubtful of other lawmakers’ comments that some economic value would remain if the teams left Missouri.
“Yeah, maybe some folks will still stay, but if the Chiefs relocate to the Legends area in Kansas, that's a 45 minute drive. Who's staying in downtown Kansas City, then?”
The program provides matching funds for development and renovations by covering annual bond payments to the amount that the team is currently generating in taxes in Missouri.
