MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

  Exit  

MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News

MDN Menu

MDN Home

Journalist's Creed

Print

MDN Help

  Exit  

MDN.ORG Mo. Digital News Missouri Digital News MDN.ORG: Mo. Digital News MDN.ORG: Missouri Digital News

Help  Close

2003 Health Stories

• 12/ 8/2003: Radio Story - Mental Health employees find themselves at the bottom of the totem poll when it comes to raises.
• 12/ 5/2003: Newspaper Story - State officials say they'll have less money for hazardous waste cleanup and enforcement activities unless legislators extend the collection fees that support them. And with fewer funds available for individual state efforts, the Environmental Protection Agency may have to assume a greater role in the activities.
• 12/ 1/2003: Radio Story - Mobile home landlords would be required to offer one-year leases under legislation filed Monday by Sen. Maida Coleman (D-St.Louis). The bill would also eliminate "no cause" evictions and set safety standards at mobile home parks.
• 11/21/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri's Department of Conservation is using an new testing method to see if the state's deer Chronic Wasting Disease.
• 11/20/2003: Radio Story - State Senator Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, has announced a plan to give the state power to regulate medical malpractice insurance rates.
• 11/19/2003: Newspaper Story - Leading Missouri Republicans have criticized a proposal that would require increases in sales tax rates when state revenue falls below a prescribed level. The measure, turned into the Secretary of State's office by a group of lobbyists, ignores needed reforms and simply seeks new sources of tax revenue, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gibbons said.
• 11/18/2003: Newspaper Story - A women's advocacy group charged Tuesday that state budget cuts are responsible for the decline in the health and welfare of Missouri women.
• 11/13/2003: Radio Story - Missouri is one of five states that aren't spending any of the money they recieve from tobacco companies on smoking prevention programs.
• 11/11/2003: Radio Story - Missouri is one of three states with a law that bans homosexual acts. Now a Representative Vicky Riback Wilson plans its repeal.
• 11/11/2003: Radio Story - SSO's cause raw sewage to be dumped into rivers and waterways
• 11/10/2003: Newspaper Story - Instead of using tobacco prevention funds to run a program, Missouri's Health Department used its $500,000 to run a statewide survey of health risks.
• 11/ 6/2003: Radio Story - After a sluggish October for the Missouri economy, figures indicate little hope that withholdings will be released to funding starved programs.
• 11/ 5/2003: Newspaper Story - Columbia's legislators plan to prefile bills concerning issues such as gay rights, rock climbing walls, and toll roads.
• 11/ 4/2003: Radio Story - Gov. Bob Holden appointed Steve Gaw as the chairman of the Public Service Commission Monday
• 10/31/2003: Radio Story - The Missouri Department of Health, with help from the Center for Disease Control, provided additional funding for health agencies around the state to prepare for a potential bioterrorist attack. The funding began last year, and agencies were able to hire new positions to specialize in bioterrorism preparation. The renewed contract provides agencies with close to six million dollars.
• 10/29/2003: Newspaper Story - About 1.4 million Missourians may soon receive their health insurance from the country's newest and largest managed care company.
• 10/29/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri Social Services Department and regional Community Actions Agencies will work together to help low income households pay their energy bill during the winter. The funds come through the national Low Income Home Energy Assitance Program.
• 10/28/2003: Radio Story - The Public Service Commission is seeking public comment on a proposal by AmerenUE to raise rates by more than $26 million.
• 10/21/2003: Radio Story - U.S. Census Bureau reports more Missourians are without health insurance. Some parents are struggling to provide insurance for their children. A Missouri managed care program, MC+ for Kids is trying to help.
• 10/17/2003: Newspaper Story - Federal statistics may suggest that Missouri has become a less safe place to work. The state reported a 21% rise in fatal work injuries, and ranked ninth nationally for total cases.
• 10/14/2003: Radio Story - U.S. Census Bureau reports more Missourians, especially young men, are without health insurance. But the state's industrial base is keeping the number of uninsured Missourians below the national average.
• 10/10/2003: Radio Story - With the high cost of prescription drugs, some states are looking to Canada for cheaper prices. But, some in the health field voice concerns.
• 10/10/2003: Radio Story - Some states are developing plans to help citizens save money on prescription drugs.
• 10/ 8/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri is receiving federal funds to help reverse the trend of overweight children. The USDA will give Missouri's Health Department $200,000 to promote healthy eating habits in schools and day cares.
• 10/ 1/2003: Newspaper Story - The Missouri Departments of Mental Health and Social Services are trying out pilot programs to help parents avoid relinquishing custody of their child to the state for mental health treatment.
• 9/30/2003: Radio Story - Missouri health care officials are waiting for the federal government to start the second phase of small pox vaccinations.
• 9/30/2003: Radio Story - The Missouri Attorney General is reviewing a court injunction that is ordering the state to reissue dental and eyeglass care to Medicaid patients.
• 9/29/2003: Radio Story - Nursing homes in Missouri must follow strict safety standards.
• 9/23/2003: Newspaper Story - Doctors groups concerned about rising malpractice insurance premiums are demanding.
• 9/22/2003: Newspaper Story - Talks between doctors and lawyers ended Friday after three weeks of negotiating legislature that would cap rising malpractice insurance rates
• 9/18/2003: Radio Story - Illinois and California are trying to import drugs from Canada for state employees and Medicade recipients
• 9/11/2003: Radio Story - Doctors lobbying the Senate couldn't get lawmakers to override Holden's veto of the malpractice reform bill.
• 9/10/2003: Radio Story - Doctors and lawyers cannot reach a conclusion on award limits.
• 9/10/2003: Newspaper Story - While the Missouri State Senate waits for Dolan to return for Cuba, the House voted to override Holden's vetoes on abortion and concealed weapons.
• 9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - GOP leaders say they'll try to force through a bill putting new limits on every type of civil suit.
• 9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - At least one democratic lawmaker threatens to use filibuster any vote to overide Gov. Bob Holden's veto of a bill that requires waiting period for abortion.
• 9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - Republican leaders are hoping to overturn as many as seven of Gov. Holden's vetos.
• 9/ 8/2003: Radio Story - Several Democrats are expected to break with party lines when they again support a bill that Gov. Bob Holden vetoed.
• 8/26/2003: Radio Story - Missouri's lieutenant governor says his wife's illness prevents him from continuing his campaign for re-election.
• 7/ 9/2003: Radio Story - Vetoed bills include a 24-hour waiting period for abortions and a limit on medical malpractice lawsuit awards.
• 5/21/2003: Radio Story - Hanaway says Holden is launching a "campaign of terror" to scare people into voting for tax increases.
• 5/19/2003: Radio Story - Holden says the people of Missouri should have the chance to consider tax increases to avoid cuts.
• 5/ 8/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri law provides stronger oversight of farm animals and pets than children housed in some child-care residential centers.
• 5/ 1/2003: Newspaper Story - House and Senate pass 24-hour wait on abortion
• 5/ 1/2003: Radio Story - The Missouri legislature has sent the governor a bill that would require women seeking an abortion to wait 24 hours before having the procedure.
• 4/30/2003: Newspaper Story - Several years after the legislature first took up nursing home reform, a bill that would increase fines on nursing homes with violations while relaxing inspections on those with good records is on its way to the governor's desk.
• 4/29/2003: Radio Story - Missouri's House has passed tougher fines and investigations for problem nursing homes--but without a provision that carried an $80 million fiscal note.
• 4/29/2003: Newspaper Story - The Senate passed a bill that would make Medicaid services available only if money is appropriated.
• 4/29/2003: Radio Story - Lawmakers seek another way to address state budget crisis.
• 4/28/2003: Radio Story - The House gave overwhelming approval to a bill that would set aside a portion of the tobacco settlement for life sciences research.
• 4/25/2003: Newspaper Story - The senate debated a bill thursday that would restrict workers' compensation. Some it would improve Missouri's business climate, while others say it would keep some injured workers from receiving benefits.
• 4/23/2003: Newspaper Story - A day after Gov. Bob Holden announced he would block any legislation that would interfere with a woman's right to get an abortion, the Missouri House gave initial approval to a bill that would stop state funding for programs that directly or indirectly subsidize abortion services.
• 4/17/2003: Newspaper Story - Education takes the brunt of budget cuts as passed Thursday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee recommended slicing a combined $361 million from education to help solve the state's 2004 budget woes.
• 4/16/2003: Newspaper Story - The Legislature is considering bills that would require health insurers to cover everything from chiropractic care to weight reduction services to clinical trials for cancer patients to mental health care.
• 4/10/2003: Radio Story - Nursing home employees who are abusive could be fined up to ten thousand dollars
• 4/10/2003: Radio Story - The bill aims to protect the elderly and punish those abusive towards them
• 4/10/2003: Radio Story - Nursing home employees caught abusing elderly could be fined and penalized.
• 4/ 7/2003: Newspaper Story - You can play a role in preventing the spread of West Nile Virus, according to the Missour Health Department. Last year, an unexpected number of Missourians were infected with the virus -- 168 people in 30 Missouri counties -- and the state needs to be better prepared for an outbreak this year, according to the Missouri Health Department.
• 4/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - After a filibuster in which the University of Missouri system was repeatedly attacked as uncooperative and secretive, the Missouri Senate put on hold debate of a bill that would consolidate health care of all state employees.
• 4/ 2/2003: Newspaper Story - Attorney General's office refuses to rule out helping tobacco industry in Illinois case
• 3/18/2003: Radio Story - As a result of the heightened terror alert level, medical staff at the Missouri Health Department will be putting in longer hours.
• 3/12/2003: Radio Story - Both departments says House plan would result in program cuts. Associate Director for the Department of Social Services says the plan could affect access to health care for seniors.
• 3/12/2003: Newspaper Story - A bill requiring women to meet with a physician 24-hours before obtaining an abortion gained preliminary approval in the House Wednesday.
• 3/10/2003: Radio Story - Senator Joan Bray (D-St. Louis) called the move "mean and cynical."
• 3/ 6/2003: Radio Story - The Senate gave first round approval to a bill that makes it illegal for minors to travel to other states for abortions without parental consent laws.
• 3/ 6/2003: Radio Story - The Senate gave first round approval to a bill that would make it illegal for minors to enter other states in order to avoid Missouri's parental consent law.
• 3/ 5/2003: Newspaper Story - During a 7-hour filibuster that included discussion of everything from preferred meditation techniques to noodling, of a handful of Democrats stalled the passage of a bill that would attempt to keep minors from fleeing to Illinois for abortions.
• 2/26/2003: Newspaper Story - A measure to limit awards in liability lawsuits -- long backed by corporations and doctors -- won preliminary approval in Missouri's House Wednesday.
• 2/26/2003: Radio Story - The bill would place a $350,000 limit on malpractice lawsuit awards.
• 2/26/2003: Newspaper Story - A House appropriations committee voted to eliminate the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides coverage to about 80,000 Missouri children.
• 2/25/2003: Newspaper Story - A Missouri House Committee heard testimonies on Tuesday on a bill that would prohibit discrimination against citizens with service animals.
• 2/24/2003: Newspaper Story - The Senior Care and Protection Act, sponsored by Senate Pres Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, would target nursing homes with a history of violations while loosening regulations on homes that have repeatedly demonstrated good conditions.
• 2/19/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri lawmakers were told Wednesday they have a role to play in the nation's fight against fat. The Senate Committee on Public Health had a public hearing for a bill Wednesday that might not have an immediate affect on our waistlines, but would try to help us understand how they got so big in the first place and suggest ways we can get our pants to fit again.
• 2/19/2003: Radio Story - A house bill would increase fees for DWI treatment.
• 2/18/2003: Newspaper Story - February 28 is the last day for seniors to apply for SenioRx drug prescription program.
• 2/18/2003: Newspaper Story - Insurance premium rates would nearly double for UM faculty and staff under a bill presented to the Senate Ways and Means Committee
• 2/18/2003: Newspaper Story - With a more conservative and Republican-controlled legislature, anti-abortion forces are proposing several new restrictions on abortion rights in Missouri.
• 2/17/2003: Newspaper Story - Rep. Vicky Riback Wilson, D-Columbia, is co-sponsoring a bill that would require health insurers to treat mental health care in the same way they treat other illnesses. Thirty states have enacted similar legislation. The bill is one of a number of measures before the legislature that would place minimum requirements on health insurers for certain illnesses.
• 2/11/2003: Newspaper Story - Disabled adults who receive state dollars to pay for personal care attendants are concerned that lawmakers will cut funding for the program.
• 2/ 6/2003: Newspaper Story - The state Department of Insurance released a plan Thursday to reform the state's medical malpractice industry.
• 2/ 6/2003: Newspaper Story - Sharice Stanley was one of eight people who testified Wednesday in front of the House Health Care Policy Committee, which was examining a bill that would require physicians to meet with patients at least 24 hours before performing an abortion. The House and Senate are considering nearly identical bills that would require a doctor-patient meeting to discuss potential physical and emotional side effects.
• 2/ 5/2003: Radio Story - A house commitee heard from supporters and opponents of a bill that would establish a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion.
• 2/ 3/2003: Radio Story - Tobacco companies spend $330 million on marketing and promotion yet state spends nothing on anti-smoking campaigns.
• 2/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Anti-tobacco critics question Missouri's use of the tobacco settlement to close its budget shortfall
• 1/29/2003: Radio Story - Doctors and malpractice victims lobbyied lawmakers over limits on lawsuit awards.
• 1/22/2003: Newspaper Story - The Missouri judge rejected by the U.S. Senate for a federal appeals court seat will be Missouri's first black state supreme court chief justice.