The Department of Health and Senior Services on Wednesday introduced a pilot program to collect information about autism. The program would harvest data from Medicare and Medicaid, including insurance claims, medical records and smartwatch data. It’s part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s pledge to find the causes of autism by September. The plan
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Some Columbia residents may have noticed the water from their faucets looking a bit different on Wednesday. The City of Columbia wrote in a press release that it is aware of “widespread water discoloration” and stated the water is safe to drink. The release says that “contractors performed some significant work on
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) MU School of Medicine had to cut its childhood immunization program after a mass grant termination in March after grants allocated for the Department of Health and Senior Services during the COVID-19 pandemic were pulled back by the federal government. The immunization program was formed in May 2024 in collaboration with Washington
Continue Reading
MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ) It’s been three years since the hospital in Mexico closed its doors, leaving Audrain County communities in limbo for immediate emergency care. “Having no hospital and no emergency room, it’s been devastating to this community, devastating to my practice,” said surgeon Dr. Joseph Corrado. “Before it was easy, you know, we had
Continue Reading
Final exams are just a few weeks away, and the end of the semester can be a stressful time for students. Between final exams, final project deadlines, final grades, and for some graduation, students may experience a deterioration of their mental health.
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri is the 18th largest state by population, with 161 licensed hospitals statewide. In rural counties, their numbers are dropping. According to the Department of Health and Senior Services, 12 Missouri hospitals in rural counties closed from 2014 to 2023. “Minutes can mean the difference between life and death,” said Heidi Lucas,
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Contract negotiations between MU Health Care and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield remain at a standstill. MU Health Care Chief Operating Officer Tonya Jackson told ABC 17 News on Thursday that no future meetings are scheduled between the two sides. MU Health Care has not been considered “in-network” for Anthem customer since
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A case of measles has been confirmed in a southwest Missouri county and is tied to international travel, according to state health officials. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said Friday that a child who traveled to Taney County has contracted measles. The child’s vaccination status has not been verified,
Continue Reading
By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — In his first news conference as secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Wednesday that rising rates of autism prevalence in the US reflect a “preventable” crisis-level epidemic that has been caused by an environmental toxin. Advocates for people with autism
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Voluntary Action Center’s air condition exchange program will become a one-day event this year, according to a Monday press release from the VAC. The event will take place 9 a.m.-noon Wednesday, May 21 at the Boone County Community Building at 1413 Range Line Street in Columbia. It was previously a summer-long
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia’s two biggest health care providers are showing signs of financial improvements in their most recently released data. MU Health Care posted a $45 million operating gain for the first half of fiscal year 2025, which started in July. Numbers shared by MU Health Care to the UM System’s Board of Curators
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) After failing to reach an agreement with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield by the March 31 deadline, MU Health Care says it remains open to further discussions over commercial and Affordable Care Act insurance plans with the provider. “Negotiations are still happening right now,” Tonya Johnson, MU Health Care’s Health System Chief
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The parking lot at Grindstone Nature Area will be closed from 11 p.m. Wednesday through 8 a.m. Saturday, according to a Tuesday press release from Columbia Parks and Recreation. Renovations will be done at the parking lot at 2011 Old Highway 63, the release says. Park users are encouraged to use the
Continue Reading
The new Health and Human Services secretary is questioning decades of convention that says fluoride in drinking water is good for people’s health. RFK Jr. says he’ll soon tell the CDC to stop recommending fluoride in water supplies, something the agency has long advocated as a way to minimize tooth decay. An HHS task force
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) MU Health Care infectious disease expert Dr. Amruta Padhye urges parents to get children vaccinated for measles, mumps, rubella or get the MMR vaccine as the nation sees an increase in the virus. “This year we have seen already by the first three months of this year, we have seen, in the
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) After failing to reach an agreement with MU Health Care by the March 31 deadline, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield says it is working with other Mid-Missouri health care providers, including Boone Hospital, SSM St. Mary’s, Moberly Regional Hospital and Jefferson City Medical Group. Some of those hospitals have since reported an
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Thousands of people with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans will no longer be able to see MU Health Care doctors and be covered. The insurance giant Anthem, which is among the state’s biggest, and the health care network ended their negotiations Monday ahead of a midnight deadline to renew a
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) MU Health Care and UnitedHealthcare have agreed to a contract extension, MU Health Care announced Wednesday in a press release. A spokesperson with MU Health Care said that contract negotiations began earlier this month and that its contract with United was originally set to expire April 30, 2026. That deal has been
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) With a deadline looming to finalize insurance negotiations, MU Health Care warns that Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield policyholders may soon face coverage disruptions, as little progress has been made in discussions. MU Health Care has been in negotiations with Anthem for months, with a contract between the two parties expiring on
Continue Reading
The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office said it has received several reports of vehicles being followed, according to a public safety announcement posted on Facebook Saturday.
Continue Reading