The Trump administration in late March slashed $500 million that had already been allocated to food aid nationwide through the Emergency Food Assistance Program. That canceled 124 scheduled deliveries to Missouri food banks.

Since 2023, access to puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones has radically diminished in Missouri, thanks in part to national attention and political outcry.

Randal Halfmann at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City is hoping to treat diseases including cancer and Alzheimer's by influencing how cells make life-or-death decisions.

Conspiracy theories about health fill a vacuum created by the lack of doctors in Kansas and many other rural communities. Meanwhile, doctors say patients have become increasingly distrustful and sometimes hostile.

Democratic-led states secured a legal victory to keep the personal data of food recipients out of the federal government's reach. But NPR's reporting shows that millions of records on Americans have already been shared, including from Missouri.

For nearly a decade, overdoses have killed hundreds of Missourians annually as deadly synthetic opioids circulated among drug users. The latest data indicates the decrease in deaths could indicate a sustained trend.

Kansas tiene más hospitales rurales con riesgo de cerrar que cualquier otro estado, y los cambios federales podrían reducir aún más los ingresos. Sin embargo, un cambio en los impuestos estatales dariá a los hospitales un respiro de unos años para implementar estrategias a largo plazo.

Missouri already allows dispensaries to offer drive-thru and delivery services, but curbside service would mean customers can pay online in advance so they don't need to exchange cash on site.

Former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey argued that reinstating the state's abortion regulations would not cause "irreparable harm" to patients. The appeals court rejected that claim, allowing Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis to continue offering services.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe's office is requesting to change the state's SNAP program and restrict certain food and beverages. The governor's office says the changes would promote healthier food, but it may add headaches for customers and grocers.

State officials say Missouri's current standards, last revised a quarter century ago, are based on outdated science. For small rural communities, it could require major upgrades for water treatment facilities.

Kansas has more rural hospitals at risk of closure than any other state, and federal changes could further reduce revenue. However, a change to a state tax will give a few years' cushion for hospitals to implement long-term strategies.