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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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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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The federal government told Missouri it is concerned the state is not doing enough to “achieve and sustain” compliance with federal rules on Medicaid and CHIP. In Missouri, 72% of insurance applications took more than 45 days to process — the worst in the U.S.
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After pandemic-era federal protections for Medicaid ended, Kansas started reviewing who was eligible for state health coverage. About 47% of the residents who lost insurance during that time were ages 18 or younger.
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A bill to require insurance companies to cover the cost of advanced breast cancer screenings for all Kansans failed to pass this year, but advocates say they will try again in 2025.
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Missouri’s Medicaid enrollment has shrunk by around 200,000 people since last summer, as the state continues the process of undoing a COVID-era pause on eligibility checks.
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Lobbyists and legislators have been pushing for years to eliminate copays for supplemental and diagnostic breast cancer screening, which other Midwest states have already done. Advocates say they create cost barriers that can lead to late diagnosis.
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Nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia, and those who care for someone with the disease often need help navigating services. A new Alzheimer's Association report offers insight on how to make the process easier.
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A Kansas family remembers Valentine’s Day as the beginning of panic attacks, life-altering trauma and waking to nightmares of gunfire. Thrown into the spotlight by the mass shooting, they wonder how they will recover. Plus: Four Kansas pharmacy owners are taking on the prescription drug industry.
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Doulas and birth centers are considered part of the solution to Missouri’s "unacceptable" maternal mortality crisis. But current law makes it difficult to help mothers most in need, because many doulas aren't eligible for Medicaid reimbursements.
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The four pharmacy owners formed their own pharmacy benefit manager to take on the huge companies that influence how much people pay for medications.
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Kansas City has an immigrant population of over 130,000 people that is growing every year, adding to the area's labor force and tax base. Still, a high percentage of immigrant residents can't get the medical care they need — including Selene Rocha, an immigrant living in Johnson County.