Medicaid

Missouri has banned medical gender-affirming health care for youth and some adults since 2023. But there are plenty of other forms of gender-affirming care happening in the state, and advocates say it’s saving lives. Plus: Missouri’s Medicaid program is about to go through a major change with the advent of federally imposed work requirements.

The states have been studying how to support their aging populations, but now critical federal funds won’t be available to help.

In a wide-ranging interview, MoHealthNet director Todd Richardson discussed some of their big challenges — such as incoming work requirements, and new federal restrictions on a tax that helps Missouri pay for the program.

Kansas Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids said that Kansans will begin to feel the effects of the spending cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program at the beginning of the year. She spoke with KCUR's Up To Date about the recent budget bill signed into law by President Trump.

Health care leaders worry rural hospitals could be hit hard by Medicaid spending reductions in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." In the Midwest and Great Plains, Oklahoma and Kansas could face the highest risk of hospital closures and service reductions.

A report says several Kansas policies restrict access to birth control. Also, the state falls short of protecting access to contraceptives by having no policies in several key areas.

President Donald Trump’s new budget package cuts funding for programs like Medicaid and SNAP through work requirements.

Gov. Mike Kehoe is hopeful Congress will reverse course on major restrictions on medical provider taxes, which were included in the "Big Beautiful Bill" that President Trump signed. All of Missouri's Republican members of Congress voted in favor of it.

Charlie Shields, the CEO of University Health in Kansas City, says federal Medicaid cuts passed in President Trump's recent budget bill are likely to pose challenges for the hospital system. University Health relies on Medicaid reimbursements more than other providers in the metro.

President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” cuts about $1 trillion in federal Medicaid funding. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley helped push for the inclusion of money for rural hospitals, but experts say it's just "a drop in the bucket" — and could force even more providers to close.

The new federal law is expected to eliminate $1 trillion in federal spending on Medicaid over the next decade. University Health in Kansas City, which counts on Medicaid for more than half of its patient revenue, expects a huge financial hit but vows that cutting services and staff will be the last resort.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley was able to include the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act in a major budgetary package signed by President Trump last week. It expands the number of Missouri residents who can receive benefits after being exposed to radioactive waste.