News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Kansas Insurance Department Predicts Jump In 2016 Premiums
The Kansas Insurance Department on Tuesday said that premiums for some individual and small-group health plans are likely to increase by as much as 38 percent for 2016.
Extensive Missouri Bike Trail Plan Creates Both Hope and Lawsuits
Just outside St. Louis, Missouri, on a high, windy bluff overlooking the Missouri River, a trio of grey-haired cyclists pump up tires and make adjustments to their bikes while their friend Henry Lazarski paces the parking lot, eager to get rolling.
Is a $300 million downtown convention hotel worth it?
In 2018, Kansas City will formally open an 800-room, $300 million convention center hotel downtown. However, this project does not fall solely upon the private sector, such as the Hyatt corporation which will run the hotel. Kansas City has given the project tax breaks and other potential benefits including exclusive catering rights. Civic leaders such as Mike…
From the NewsHour: The Legacy of Head Start
Fifty years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson announced the creation of Head Start, the government program designed to support low-income children and families. In its latest American Graduate report, the NewsHour’s April Brown produced this story abut how the program has impacted the lives of millions of children.
Fighting Junk-Food Marketing, in KCK
For customers stepping inside Abarrotes Delicias, the noise, traffic and heat of the surrounding Kansas City, Kansas, neighborhood seem to disappear. The small store offers everything from tacos to snacks to money transfers – or just an air-conditioned place to hang out and watch TV on a lazy afternoon. Owner Graciela Martinez says she tries to provide a welcoming personal touch when serving her customers, who comprise a diverse sample of nearby residents.
Kansas Legislature Makes No Move To Shield ACA Subsidies
Some state legislatures are moving to shield residents’ federal health insurance subsidies in advance of a U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding the Affordable Care Act. The Kansas Legislature is not among them. As Kansas lawmakers work toward a tax plan to end the 2015 session, they have not had any briefings on the King v….
A gluten-free pantry, for those who really need it
Whatever someone’s route to gluten-free living might be, they soon find out it’s a bigger change than just giving up baked goods. “It’s expensive,” says Karen Miller, a retired dietitian who helped out at the Wednesday open house of the ReNewed Health Allergy Friendly and Gluten Free Food Pantry in Overland Park, Kansas.
New Healthier Living Project Seeks Input from WyCo Residents
Health advocates are partnering with students and faculty at the University of Kansas School of Architecture, Design and Planning to help Wyandotte County residents make their communities more conducive to healthy living. The Community Health Council of Wyandotte County (CHC) is leading the effort with a four-year, $1.6 million grant from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program aimed at reducing obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke in communities across the country.
KC-Area Business Leaders Tackle Mental Illness In The Workplace
Kansas City-area business leaders and health executives are kicking off an effort to make mental health a priority in the workplace.
KC Panel: Virus Associated With Cervical Cancer Also Endangers Men
Discussions about the dangers of the human papillomavirus (HPV) tend to focus on the risks it poses for cervical cancer. But as physicians and one local survivor emphasized in a discussion after the screening of a documentary shown Wednesday in Kansas City, HPV is not only a danger to women.