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The American Heart Association said pregnancy, pre-eclampsia and chronic stress can increase women's risk for high blood pressure, a leading cause of stroke. (Tetiana/Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 6, 2024

Advocates address disparities for women in Missouri's health care system

Women, and particularly Black women, are disproportionately affected by strokes and other health conditions in Missouri. Keetra Thompson, a stroke …

The 340B rule empowers select safety-net providers by providing discounts on outpatient prescription drugs and in reaching more eligible patients to provide comprehensive services. (Banana Images/Adobe Stock)

Big Pharma uses red-meat rhetoric in fight over drug costs

Access to reduced-price medication is a necessity for many rural Missourians with low income. Rep. Cindy O'Laughlin, R-Shelbina, the Senate Floor …

Experts believe increasing access to healthy food is not just about nutrition, it is about addressing disparities and improving overall health outcomes. (ARTFULLY-79/Adobe Stock)

Breaking barriers for health equity with nutritional strategies

Missouri residents are gaining new insights into the powerful role of food in health care as experts and organizations advocate for a shift toward foo…

Nearly three in 10 (27%) dual-eligible Missourians enrolled in D-SNPs in 2021. (Flamingo Images/Adobe Stock)

Missourians unaware of dual eligible special needs plans for healthcare savings

Dual Special Needs Plans such as Medicare Advantage in Missouri offer low costs with minimal co-pays and deductibles. In Missouri and across the …

Operation Food Search distributes $30 million worth of food and necessities each year to 330 community partners in 40 Missouri and Illinois counties. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

MO summit tackles rising child food insecurity as benefits expire

As COVID-era benefits near expiration, a recent Child Wellness Summit brought together nonprofits to tackle urgent child well-being and food-…

The increase in funding for community health centers also helps alleviate some of the burdens caused by threats to 340B, the low-cost prescription drug program. (1st footage/Adobe Stock)

New funding a boost for community health centers

Community health centers in Missouri and across the nation are getting a boost in funding thanks to Congress' passage of a bipartisan spending package…

In 2018, the nonprofit Decolonizing Wealth Project defined reparative philanthropy as

Report: Older foundations, regardless of intent, may have racist beginnings

A recent report details how great wealth that later made philanthropy possible around the country but most evidently in the District of Columbia…

Census data from 2020 included population counts of nearly 1,500 race and ethnicity groups and American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Report: MO could do better to ensure children's well-being

A new report examined children's well-being in every state and found in Missouri, the outcomes vary greatly depending on race. In its "Race for …

On average, the lowest-income 20% of taxpayers face a state and local tax rate nearly 60% higher than the top 1% of households in Missouri, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. (tirachard/Adobe Stock)<br />

Missouri's taxes require more from low and middle-income families

New data show Missouri has the 35th most regressive state and local tax system in the country. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found …

After the George Floyd murder, Black Excellence built

'Black Excellence' sees World Cup 2026 as major MO opportunity

Major Kansas City developments -- such as the upcoming 2026 World Cup and building the first women's professional sports stadium -- are driving gentri…

The Missouri Rural Health Association reported rural Missouri communities and stakeholders are working together to addressing transportation, recruiting staff and reducing costs for clinical care. (StockRojoVerdeyAzul/Adobe Stock)

Report: Rural Missouri needs more health care attention, investment

About one-third of Missouri is considered rural, and people who live there often have health challenges. The latest research suggested overlooking …

Gov. Mike Parson in June signed the fiscal year 2024 budget, which included an increase to the child-care subsidy rate from July 1 through next June 30. (Oksana Kuzmina/Adobe Stock)

Missouri gets jump in child-care subsidy rates

An increase in child-care subsidy reimbursement rates up to 58% of market rate is being hailed as a big win for providers in Missouri. Sarah Gould …

Proponents of regular dental care cite the case of 12-year-old Deamonte Driver of Maryland, who died of a toothache in February 2007. (Anna Kosolapova/Adobe Stock)

Greater access to dental care through MO HealthNet

More Missourians should be able to get routine dental care, with a recent change in the way providers are paid by the state. MO HealthNet is paying …

Many of Missouri's working parents have limited and often unaffordable access to quality child care, resulting in

MO loses $1.35 billion annually due to child care issues

Among Missouri parents surveyed, 30% reported they have limited their working hours or stopped altogether because of unreliable child care. The …

The 340B Drug Pricing Program, a part of the 1992 Public Health Service Act, provides outpatient drugs at deep discounts to safety net providers. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

Missouri community healthcare centers face 340B uncertainty

While large hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturers battle over drug costs, Missouri community health centers see themselves as collateral damage…

The Right Time initiative conducted an online survey of 1,000 Missouri residents between April 27 and May 3. (Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock)

Is Birth Control Legal? Many Missourians Unsure

One in four Missourians either doesn't believe or doesn't know that using birth control pills is legal in the state. The Right Time, an initiative …

The process of recertifying enrollment in Medicaid, which generally had been done on an annual basis before the COVID pandemic, was paused during the Public Health Emergency by federal law in early 2020. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Half Those Losing Medicaid in MO are Children

With the pandemic era ending, Medicaid annual renewals are unwinding in Missouri. Eligibility for Medicaid is being verified and more than 54,000 …

Missouri Healthy Schools, Success-Ready Students (MHSSS) reports the health of students is strongly linked to their success in school.(WavebreakmediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

Nutrition Won't Skip a Beat as MO Kids Head Back to School

Many Missouri families struggle to feed their children while school is out for the summer and have been able to get breakfast and lunch at summer yout…

Fighting Bad Health with Good Food in Missouri

Too many Missourians struggle with chronic health conditions and some are looking more closely at their diets to control or even prevent them…

According to Salary.com, Missouri child care workers typically earn between $32,581 and $41,250 annually. (lordn/Adobe Stock)

MO Child Care Experts Elaborate on Issues in 2023 Kids Count Report

The resounding theme of the 2023 Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book is child care shortages and unaffordability. In Missouri, the …

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls well-child visits

Contentious 2023 MO Legislative Session Saw Wins for Struggling Families

Although Missouri's 2023 legislative session was contentious and resulted in a historically low number of bills being passed, advocates for children …

The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates 5 million to 14 million people will lose Medicaid coverage as the public health emergency ends and states and resume the annual renewal process. (suthisak/Adobe Stock)

MO Medicaid Renewals Underway; Recipients Urged to Update Information

Missouri's Department of Social Services anticipates as many as 200,000 Missourians will lose their Medicaid benefits over the course of the next year…

Kaiser Family Foundation calcula que entre 5 y 14 millones de personas perder�n la cobertura de Medicaid ahora que la situaci�n de emergencia sanitaria ha terminado y los estados reanuden su proceso anual de renovaci�n. (suthisak/Adobe Stock)

Renovación de Medicaid en MO; insta a beneficiarios a actualizar información

El Departamento de Servicios Sociales de Missouri prevé que unos 200,000 ciudadanos perderán sus prestaciones de Medicaid el próximo a&…

Kiplinger rates Missouri, and nine other U.S. states, as

MO Lawmaker Proposes Raising "Circuit Breaker" Tax Credits

Every Missourian knows property values and property taxes have risen dramatically in the past 15 years, as well as the cost of rent. State lawmakers …

Homeowners and renters are eligible for state energy-assistance programs. (Victor Koldunov/Adobe Stock)

MO Low-Income Utility Assistance Now Available Year Round

With winter still bringing occasional cold snaps, low-income Missourians who face sudden heating problems have help. Missouri's Low Income Home …

About 227,000 Missouri kids live in poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Programs Target Improving Economic Security for Missouri Families

Missouri has made strides in recent years when it comes to the economic stability of families, but advocates stressed there is more work to be done…

Community Health Centers in Missouri serve a disproportionate level of uninsured and Medicaid patients. (Adobe Stock)

Celebrating the Medical Home of 600,000 Missourians

During National Health Center Week, health-care advocates are highlighting the work Community Health Centers are doing to improve access to care …

Missouri has no waiting period to enroll children in the Children's Health Insurance Program. (Adobe Stock)

Pediatricians Celebrate CHIP Turning 25, Urge Improvements

This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Children's Health Insurance Program. Since its start in 1997, the child uninsured rate in the U.S…

A proposed economic-recovery payment tax credit would be non-refundable, and leave out about a third of Missouri residents. (Natee Meepian/Adobe Stock)

MO Group: Economic-Recovery Payment Plan Excludes Too Many

As the Missouri Senate considers a proposal for economic-relief payments passed by the House, advocates for working families urge lawmakers to make …

Missouri has been taking up to 70 days to process Medicaid applications, despite the federal requirement that they be processed within 45 days. (niyazz/Adobe Stock)

Groups Push Back Against Attempt to Repeal Medicaid Expansion

Groups advocating for health-care access for all Missourians urged the state Senate to reject a proposed constitutional amendment to undermine Medicai…

Families of three making less than $45,000 a year are eligible for Missouri's Medicaid and CHIP programs. (H_Ko)

Groups: Build Back Better Could Improve Health Outcomes for MO Children

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Health advocates are pressing the U.S. Senate to pass the Build Back Better Act after it passed the House last month. The bill …

Nationally, more than 4.5 million households reported being at risk of eviction in the next two months, according to recent Census surveys. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

Groups Identify Barriers to Rental Assistance in MO

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Groups working to keep Missouri residents in their homes since the pandemic began are trying to identify the barriers to receiving …

Some 35 million families nationally have received Child Tax Credit payments since summer. (Yurii Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

Calls to Shore Up Child Tax Credit Long-Term in Build Back Better Act

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Families in Missouri have been receiving Child Tax Credit payments of $300 to $350 a month per child since the summer, and one …

One in ten Missouri teens didn't graduate high school on time in 2019, down from 19% in 2010 - though last fall, more than 40% of Missourians planning to pursue higher education either cancelled or reduced course loads. (Tom Wang/Adobe Stock)

Report: MO Children, Families to Benefit from Child Tax Credit Expansion

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri is ranked 30th among states for overall child wellbeing in a new report, and advocates for kids and families say the …

Missourians working full time at the minimum wage often pay more than half their income on rent each month, and many people lost their jobs during the pandemic. (asiraj/Adobe Stock)

Report Urges Strong Eviction Moratoriums, Robust Rental Aid

ST. LOUIS -- A new study of eviction filings in St. Louis during the pandemic found people within protected classes under the Fair Housing Act…

Tens of millions of households in the United States spend more than a third of their income on rent, and the pandemic has impacted many Missourians' abilities to keep up. (steheap/Adobe Stock)

Legal-Aid Groups: Know Your Rights When Facing Eviction

ST. LOUIS -- With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eviction moratorium on shaky legal ground and set to expire at the end of June…

The Missouri state House voted 100-52 to exclude funding for Medicaid expansion from the state budget. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

MO State House Excludes Medicaid Expansion from Budget

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Despite a majority of Missourians voting for Medicaid expansion in last year's elections, Republican state House lawmakers …

Community partnerships have found ways to adapt in order to keep caring for children and families throughout the pandemic. (Gargonia/Adobe Stock)

Pandemic Shifts Methods of Caring for Children, Families

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The COVID-19 pandemic has left many Missouri families financially insecure, especially those with children, and it's also …

Nationwide, more than 1.3 million front-line public service workers have lost their jobs because of budget shortfalls because of the pandemic. (Tatyana A./Adobe Stock)

MO Groups Urge U.S. Senate to Pass COVID Relief

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri families are struggling to get through the pandemic, and advocates for low-income and working people are urging the …

A new national report says the pandemic has exposed holes in safety-net programs and policies designed to protect children from their basic needs going unmet. (Adobe Stock)

Missouri Families Face Added Pressure to Meet Basic Needs

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The ability to meet basic needs is out-of-reach for many Missouri families because of the pandemic. The challenges facing households …

Some experts say poverty is a major contributor to crime. (AdobeStock)

New Effort Aims to De-Escalate Violence

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- A new boots-on-the-ground initiative is under way to reduce violence and create new opportunities in St. Louis communities plagued …

A new federal moratorium on evictions is in place through December 31, 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Eviction Moratorium Starts Today: Is it Enough?

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- What was expected to be a tsunami of evictions has been calmed temporarily, but that doesn't mean Missouri renters who've …

More than 37,000 Missourians will be diagnosed with cancer this year alone, according to the American Cancer Society. (Adobe Stock)

Next Week, MO Voters Decide on Medicaid Expansion

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri voters will have a chance to decide whether the state should expand Medicaid in next Tuesday's primary election…

43% of Missouri households have a member who lost income between March and June of 2020. (AdobeStock)

Dire Times Could Worsen for Missouri Families on the Brink

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- As the U.S. Senate returns to work this week, there are urgent calls for legislators to act quickly to ensure all Missouri …

Community Health Centers will lose 70% of their federal funding before November without action by Congress. (Adobe Stock)

Health Centers Adapt to Care for Missouri's Most Vulnerable

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Community Health Centers, in Missouri and across the country, are at the forefront in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19…

New Madrid County has the highest rate of food insecurity in Missouri, at more than 17%, data that is exacerbated by the closure of schools. (Nevada Department of Agriculture)

New Story Map Tool Will Track Effect of Pandemic on Kids

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A new online mapping tool being released today will help families and policymakers track the impact of the pandemic on children…

When it comes to children's well-being, those living in poverty could face worse outcomes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to their peers. (sounmenhazra/Pixabay)

COVID-19 Could Drive Disparities in Child Outcomes in Missouri

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Missouri kids living in areas of high poverty are already at increased risk of unfavorable outcomes, and the COVID-19 pandemic …

Some 680,000 people in Missouri rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table. (Adobe Stock)

Program for Hungry Missourians Could Face Cuts

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Public comment ends today on the Trump administration's third proposal this year for changing SNAP, the program formerly …

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MO: Poverty Issues