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(Adobe Stock)/Illinois News ConnectionIllinois is considering reforms to the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. Hospitals say drugmaker restrictions are reducing funding and harming care for vulnerable and rural patients, while critics argue the program is being misused for hospital profit. Lawmakers are considering bills to increase transparency and ensure savings are directed toward lowering costs and improving access for low-income patients. -
globalmoments - stock.adobe.com/539586413A health care expert in Illinois questions whether upcoming changes to how doctors bill for pregnancy-related care will actually expand access to maternal care services. While the update modernizes billing practices for the first time since the mid-1990s, he says deeper financial incentives and policy changes are needed to address the economic challenges driving the growth of OB deserts.
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A Kansas anti-transgender bill could sharply impact Missouri residents as well. The bill requires people to use bathrooms corresponding to the gender they were assigned at birth. But as advocates point out, the bill isn’t something voters want. -
The full-time position would be created through a House bill introduced Thursday. However, with a state budget crisis, it's unclear if there's money for such a job. -
Walking trails are accessible and inexpensive ways for people to exercise and socialize. One group is also considering other ways these sites can benefit Illinois communities. -
February is American Heart Month, a time when people of all ages can focus on their cardiovascular health. This year, The CDC’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention is shining a light on high blood pressure, which is a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke. -
Health experts say many workers are missing out on benefits they already pay for because they don’t fully understand their health plans. They recommend reviewing coverage at the start of the year to save money and make better choices about care. -
As health insurance costs hit record highs, some Illinoisans are facing a nearly 30% increase in their premiums. With more than half of Americans not aware of what their plan includes, experts are urging residents to learn about and use the benefits they’re paying for. -
Proposed federal budget cuts could eliminate the only institute in the country dedicated to nursing research and key training programs. Opponents of the cuts say they would put Missouri’s nurse pipeline and patient care at risk, just as the state faces ongoing medical workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas. -
A Missouri lawmaker is reviving a bill to let qualified DACA recipients obtain professional licenses, a move supporters say could help ease worker shortages and keep trained graduates in the state. -
A new amendment to Illinois’ Victims Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA) protects employees from employer retaliation if they use work-issued devices to document instances of domestic, sexual or gender-based violence. The change, effective Jan. 1, was prompted by a fatal out-of-state case and aims to strengthen workplace protections -
Missouri is expanding access to Narcan through vending machines and porch-style boxes, with the city of Springfield serving as one example of how wider naloxone access could help save lives, statewide.
