Children’s Hospital Leaders Visit Missouri Delegation

Leaders from several of the state’s children’s hospitals visited Washington, D.C., this week to visit with members of the Missouri congressional delegation and their staff. The Medicaid program is especially important to Missouri’s children’s hospitals and the patients they serve. Approximately 2 in 5 Missouri children are covered by Medicaid and more than 60% of all patient care days are covered by the program. Similarly, 60% of children transferred to a children’s hospital are covered by Medicaid and 80% of transferred patients had a major or extremely severe condition.

The attendees shared information about their hospitals’ important role, and how federal discussions about Medicaid could influence care for children from Missouri and beyond. Specifically, they underscored the importance of the Federal Reimbursement Allowance in supporting children’s hospitals, shared the essential role of Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education and explained how attacks on the 340B Drug Pricing Program reduce the resources available for safety net providers.

Attendees from Children’s Mercy Kansas City were Alejandro Quiroga, president and CEO; Kristin Littrell, chief of staff; Dallas Polen, vice president of governmental relations; and Lisa Horn, director of governmental relations. Attending from St. Louis Children's Hospital was Ellie Harmon, director of governmental relations. MHA staff Mary Beth Luna Wolf, vice president of legal and legislative policy, and Nate Percy, vice president of children’s health and Medicaid advocacy, attended as well.