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Healthcare and Insurance

Plans for new MU children’s hospital approved

Grand plans from MU Health Care for a new children's hospitals have moved one step closer to fruition. A proposal for a new seven-story MU Health Care Children's Hospital received approval last week from a UM System Board of Curators… more

Coping with COVID: Kansas City regional hospitals see additional demand, some face strain

Is the Kansas City region at a tipping point with medical resources to treat COVID-19 patients? In large part, the answer to that may be determined by where you live—some hospitals are seeing significantly more demand than others. Perhaps the… more

Coping with COVID: Jackson County temporarily closes clinic due to increase in regional cases

A recent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases sweeping the U.S. and the Kansas City region has led to a decision by the Jackson County Health Department that it will be temporarily closing its clinic, The closure will last… more

Kansas City, Mo. sees rise in COVID-19 patients in ICU

A decrease in the number of open ICU beds at hospitals in Kansas City, Mo. and throughout the region has confirmed a broader trend showing that the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise. New coronavirus cases and hospitalizations… more

Increased in-network access delivered to KC metro hospitals

Regional Humana members receiving care in the Kansas City metro now have added or improved in-network access, thanks to closed agreements between Prime Healthcare and Humana. The announced agreements, now in effect, provide in-network access for most area Humana Medicare Advantage… more

Eli Lilly receives emergency approval for antibody treatment

The first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a COVID-19 treatment has been given to Eli Lilly by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Permission for emergency use was granted Monday for Lilly's COVID-19 antibody treatment called bamlanivimab. Authorization for… more

Johnson County health department sees rising case numbers, pushes for schools to return to ‘red zone’

With the rising number of coronavirus cases in our area we wanted to know if students are heading back to remote learning. The Johnson County COVID-19 dashboard indicates the number of new cases and percent of positive tests would lead… more

Southern Missouri diagnostic lab ceases operations

A Southern Missouri diagnostic lab has ceased operations after having its lab certifications pulled by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Prior to closing, Gamma Healthcare Inc. in Poplar Bluff, Mo. provided laboratory and radiology services for hundreds… more

Two Kansas City metro hospitals face maximum Medicare payment cut

Most hospitals evaluated for the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program will face a Medicare payment cut in fiscal year 2021. Cuts range from 0.01 percent to 3 percent, the maximum payment slash to affect two hospitals in the metro in both… more

GuideWell signs agreement with Leawood health organization, to acquire all interests from Blue KC

GuideWell, the parent company of Florida Blue, signed an agreement Nov. 2 to become a majority shareholder in New Directions Behavioral Health, a managed mental health organization based in Leawood, Kan. Under the transaction, GuideWell will acquire all interests from Blue Cross… more