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Missouri continues to see maternal and infant mortality rates, breast and cervical cancer death rates, preterm births, congenital syphilis and depression around pregnancy at rates that are higher than the national average. It also fared among the worst nationally for mental health.
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Western Kansas hospitals are often understaffed. But a Wichita medical school has teamed up with hospitals to give medical students the opportunity to experience health care in rural areas.
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Missouri has removed roughly 136,000 kids from its Medicaid rolls since June 2023. But the state's worst-in-nation processing delays make it difficult to re-enroll — causing many to miss doctor’s appointments and critical prescriptions.
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Records from Missouri election authorities show that the campaigns to enshrine abortion rights in the constitution and increase the minimum wage have both turned in more than enough valid signatures. The Missouri Secretary of State then needs to certify the ballot measures.
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A study by the Commonwealth Fund ranks Kansas 32nd in the U.S. on women’s health metrics. The state got low marks for health care affordability and access.
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Prison can be a lonely, violent place. But one program — or more specifically, one Jefferson City, Missouri, prison resident — is helping change the men around him.
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A landmark federal staffing mandate has prompted fierce disagreement between resident advocates and the nursing home industry.
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Many patients stay away from the dentist out of concern about the costs. Health experts say that MO HealthNet covering dental exams is a significant step in Missouri's effort to improve dental access — and to boost overall health, beyond cavities, molars and gums.
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Crystal Quade and Mike Hamra are facing off in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Both believe an abortion-rights amendment could help them win the governor’s mansion in November.
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The Biden Administration rule seeks to add protections to a section of the Affordable Care Act that prevent health care providers who discriminate on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation from receiving federal funding.
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In one of four cases between a provider of gender-affirming care and the Missouri Attorney General, a judge has ruled that Missouri’s consumer protection law does not authorize Andrew Bailey’s sweeping demands for unredacted records.
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A St. Louis nursing home’s overnight closure in late 2023 upended the lives of more than 170 residents and families. Advocates and politicians called for its directors to be held accountable, but a $56,000 fine from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services could be the only penalty.
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In two 5-1 opinions, the court built on a 2019 decision in which it said the state’s Constitution protects abortion rights and that lawmakers seeking to restrict abortion must meet a high “strict scrutiny” test. The decisions cement Kansas' role as a key abortion access point for patients across the broader region.
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The Supreme Court will hear a case on gender-affirming care in the next term after a flurry of legislation. Lower courts have come to conflicting conclusions when these bans were challenged.