Healthcare and Insurance

Blue KC makes investment, takes minority stake in Connecticut performance management company

Nearly a year after announcing their partnership, Blue KC has taken a minority stake in Connecticut health care performance management company, Cedar Gate Technologies. The partnership announcement revealed in January 2020 was made to increase the insurer’s analytical capabilities and its… more

Isolation expected to continue for nursing home residents

Tens of thousands of workers and residents at Kansas long-term care facilities will get vaccinated over the next three months. But families aching to visit after such a long separation may not have easy access to their loved ones for… more

Coping with COVID: Missouri expects to deliver final rounds of initial vaccine doses by mid-January

In the first few weeks of COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Missouri, more than 66,000 frontline health care workers and long-term care facility residents and staff have received an initial dose, according to Gov. Mike Parson. In December, the state received… more

Missouri-based Centene acquires national pharmacy

St. Louis-based Centene Corp. has completed a deal for national specialty pharmacy PANTHERx, which specializes in treating rare diseases and is based in Pittsburgh. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Centene President and CEO Michael Neidorff said the deal will… more

Novavax launches Phase 3 trials for COVID-19 vaccine

Novavax announced the week the start of the Phase 3 trial of its Covid-19 vaccine in the United States and Mexico. It is the fifth company to launch a large-scale trial of a coronavirus vaccine in the United States. The trial… more

Insurance Insights with Claude Thau

COVID-19 has increased the importance of long-term care (LTC) planning for all family members because: People are more determined to get care at home. The cost of LTC at all levels will increase and might be harder to find. Through… more

Coping with COVID: Area health officials report monthly low in acute infections over Christmas

A Monday media briefing with health officials from The University of Kansas Health System revealed an improvement in the number of COVID-19 patients admitted in its facilities. Most notably, the number of patients with acute infections at KU Health is… more

Coping with COVID: Missouri, Kansas nursing homes to see COVID-19 vaccine beginning today

Thousands of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are on their way to nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Kansas and Missouri today. U.S. health officials have said they are focused on getting the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna to… more

Higher minimum wage movement picks up pace with KC-area hospitals

A spreading trend at hospitals in the Kansas City region has been raising the minimum wage. This week, North Kansas City Hospital and its subsidiary, Meritas Health, announced it will be raising its minimum wage to $15 per hour. The… more

Large vaccination effort to be carried out by CVS Health, Walgreens at Missouri nursing homes

Starting next week on Dec. 28, Missouri nursing homes and other long-term care facilities will be getting a helping hand in administering the COVID-19 vaccine to residents and staff. CVS Health plans to administer about 100,000 coronavirus vaccinations across Missouri… more