• Medicare spends approximately 14% more for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries than for comparable fee-for-service beneficiaries, resulting in approximately $76 billion in additional Medicare spending in 2026.
• National health care spending reached $5.3 trillion, or 18% of the gross domestic product, in 2024, while Medicare spending totaled approximately $1.1 trillion.
• Since 2009, spending on Part B clinician-administered drugs in nonfacilities has grown the fastest.
• Assertions were made that consolidation leads to higher payment rates and spending. 

The Missouri Hospital Association has grown its membership to 136 hospitals with the addition of St. Louis Children's Hospital and KVC Health Systems Youth Mental Health Care in Webster Groves, Mo, which is scheduled to open in late 2026.

The new member reflects MHA's continued commitment to bringing together hospitals and health systems that share a goal of improving the health and well-being of Missouri communities.

MHA's 136 member hospitals represent a diverse range of organizations across the state working collectively to strengthen health care delivery and meet the evolving needs of patients and communities. Through MHA membership, hospitals have access to advocacy, data and analytics, workforce resources, education, collaboration opportunities and quality and patient safety support.

MHA welcomes St. Louis Children's Hospital and KVC Health Systems Youth Mental Health Care and looks forward to partnering with its leaders and caregivers to advance health care in Missouri.

Landmark Hospital of Joplin Names Eric Yap As Interim CEO

Eric Yap has been named interim CEO of Landmark Hospital of Joplin, effective Aug. 28. Yap replaces Robert Samples.

Crittenton Children’s Center Names Karla Torain As Administrator

Karla Torain has been named administrator of Saint Luke’s Crittenton Children’s Center in Kansas City, Mo., effective Aug. 9. Torain replaces Marshaun Butler.

The RFI includes two distinct response tracks:

• Track 1: Remote Patient Monitoring for Maternal Care
  DSS is seeking information on solutions that can help rural providers monitor patients throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period, identify emerging risks earlier and strengthen continuity of care between appointments. Priority use cases include hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, high-risk pregnancy monitoring and postpartum care.
• Track 2: Telehealth Specialist Access for Rural Hospitals and Providers
  DSS is seeking information on telehealth solutions and service models that connect rural hospitals and providers with specialists for timely consultation, clinical guidance and decision support. The state is particularly interested in approaches that can help rural hospitals expand access to specialty expertise, strengthen local clinical decision-making and reduce avoidable transfers.

DSS also is seeking information about implementation support, electronic health records integration and interoperability, patient and provider training, connectivity challenges, privacy and security, reporting, technical support, and pricing models appropriate for rural providers.

The RFI is for planning purposes only and will not result directly in an award. Vendors may respond to either track. Those interested in both tracks must submit separate responses.

The RFI is available through MissouriBUYS under bid number 0000000012SL. Interested vendors should submit responses by email to Steven Hoffman, procurement specialist, at Steven.Hoffman@dss.mo.gov.

State Rep. Jeff Farnan, R-Stanberry, toured Mosaic Medical Center – Albany on Aug. 27 to learn how the hospital meets the needs of its rural community.

During the visit, hospital leaders highlighted new service lines, including a cancer care clinic that lets patients receive treatment closer to home. Hospital staff noted that the 340B Drug Pricing Program is critical to providing those cancer drug infusions locally.

Rep. Farnan also watched a telehealth demonstration and learned how the hospital’s maternal health care managers and home-visiting nurses support moms and babies who might otherwise travel 30 to 45 minutes to see an obstetrician.

In addition, Rep. Farnan and Katie Dias, D.O., president of Mosaic Medical Center – Albany, discussed workforce shortages, recruitment efforts for physicians and nurses, and how funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program could support rural health care access going forward.

This visit is part of the Missouri Hospital Association’s ongoing work to connect legislators with hospital leaders across the state and help policymakers better understand how legislation affects patient care and hospital operations.

MHA-member hospitals interested in hosting a legislator visit are encouraged to contact MHA's governmental relations team, who can help with scheduling, framing key talking points and coordinating the visit from start to finish.

Salem Memorial District Hospital Names Brent Peirick As CEO

Brent Peirick has been named CEO of Salem Memorial District Hospital, effective Aug. 24. Peirick replaces Amber Hogan, who was serving as the interim CEO. Hogan will return to her role as chief nursing officer.

This statewide initiative connects students and educators with career opportunities in health care. Last year's event reached more than 15,000 students, giving participating organizations an opportunity to inspire the next generation of health care professionals.

If your organization would like to learn more, representatives from your hospital's marketing and human resources departments are invited to join an informational webinar from 9-10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11. Registration is required.

Among them is HB 2372, a wide-ranging health care bill signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe in July that contains several MHA priorities. Provisions include increased transparency in insurers’ prior authorization practices, modernization of the physician licensure application process, elimination of notary requirements for certain mental health detention and evaluation applications, and protections for insurance coverage of anesthesia services.

The law also includes a new hospital signage requirement that takes effect today. Hospitals must prominently display signage in emergency department and labor and delivery waiting rooms outlining the legal penalties for assaulting health care professionals. MHA has developed ready-to-use signage as part of its Healing Happens Here resources to help hospitals meet the statutory requirement.

Additional provisions of HB 2372 have later implementation dates, including requirements related to real-time electronic prior authorization.

Hospital leaders are encouraged to review MHA’s 2026 Legislative Session Summary for additional information about new laws affecting Missouri hospitals, health care teams and the patients they serve.

State legislators toured two Columbia, Mo., hospitals on Aug. 25 to see firsthand the care these organizations provide to their community.

Reps. Gregg Bush, D-Columbia, John Martin, R-Columbia, and Tim Taylor, R-Bunceton, visited Boone Hospital Center, where hospital leaders discussed workforce demands — including the time and difficulty involved in recruiting and hiring physicians.

Lawmakers also learned about the administrative burden of prior authorization and how physicians often spend hours on the phone appealing insurer denials, which takes time away from patient care. Additionally, hospital leaders shared how many staff each department needs to manage prior authorization, denials and appeals.

Reps. Bush and Martin also toured Landmark Hospital of Columbia, a long-term acute care hospital that bridges the gap between short-term acute care and lower-acuity health care settings. There, leaders discussed how Landmark's specialty care allows patients to keep healing while freeing up beds for patients needing emergency or surgical care. Discussion also centered on payer mix and other challenges facing the hospital.

These visits are part of the Missouri Hospital Association’s ongoing work to connect legislators with hospital leaders across the state and help policymakers better understand how legislation affects patient care and hospital operations.

Any MHA-member hospital interested in hosting a legislator visit is encouraged to reach out to MHA's governmental relations team, who can help with scheduling, framing key talking points and coordinating the visit from start to finish.

Hospitals interested in subscribing to the HIDI Premier Report Package available on HIDI Advantage Analytics^® should review the package information. Current subscribers with questions about downloading files should contact HIDI.

This hands-on career exploration event is designed to introduce middle and high school students to the wide variety of career paths available in hospitals and health care organizations. There are two ways hospitals and health systems can get involved.

• Host an interactive exhibit or a hands-on station showcasing an activity that lasts 5 minutes or less. Examples may include pig lungs, glow germ, ultrasound probes or X-rays. Register for an interactive exhibit.
• Participate as a Next Steps exhibitor, where students learn about programs, admissions, scholarships, apprenticeships and hiring. This track is best suited for recruiters, counselors, education partners and community organizations. Register for a Next Steps exhibitor. 

Participating in this event gives your organization a chance to inspire future talent, connect with fellow health care employers, and be part of a growing ecosystem committed to career exploration and navigation.  

For more information, review the overview slide deck and watch a brief video from last year’s event. 

Among the changes noted in the IFB amendment is the return bid due date has been extended to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, rather than the original Aug. 28 deadline.

Organizations interested in submitting a proposal should download and carefully review the amended IFB from DSS' bid opportunities webpage, as Amendment #01 replaces the original IFB document.

Those preparing a bid should remember that vendors must complete and sign the signature page from the original IFB as well as any applicable amendment documents. Review Section 6 of the IFB for complete submission requirements.

MHA previously published an analysis of the preliminary data from the May 22 release. This analysis is based on the July 16 release.

This is the only opportunity to request revisions to your data. Subsequent requests for revisions are limited to mishandling of the data. The files are available for review to authorized users of HIDI Advantage^®.

MHA is collecting stories about hospitals’ health improvement efforts. Please share examples of how your hospital or health system is working to implement your community health needs assessment or partnering with local organizations to address health challenges locally.

When you share stories on social media, please use the hashtag #MoHospitalsCare to help us identify and amplify your efforts. In addition to sharing on social media, we’ll include select stories in our multimedia campaign to broaden awareness at MissouriHealthMatters.org.

This hands-on career exploration event is designed to introduce middle and high school students to the wide variety of career paths available in hospitals and health care organizations. There are two ways hospitals and health systems can get involved.

• Host an interactive exhibit or a hands-on station showcasing an activity that lasts 5 minutes or less. Examples may include pig lungs, glow germ, ultrasound probes or X-rays. Register for an interactive exhibit.
• Participate as a Next Steps exhibitor, where students learn about programs, admissions, scholarships, apprenticeships and hiring. This track is best suited for recruiters, counselors, education partners and community organizations. Register for a Next Steps exhibitor.

Participating in this event gives your organization a chance to inspire future talent, connect with fellow health care employers, and be part of a growing ecosystem committed to career exploration and navigation. 

For more information, download the event flyer, review the overview slide deck and watch a brief video from last year’s event.

The financial implications include effects of the CY 2027 updates to the market basket, the productivity adjustment reduction mandated by the Affordable Care Act, changes to the Home Health Resource Group case-mix budget neutrality and changes to the wage index.

The effect of the proposed home health rule will increase payments in Missouri by an estimated 1.35%. Although footnoted, the analysis does not include the effect of the 2% sequestration. Hospitals have until Monday, Aug. 31, to review their hospital-specific data and submit comments.

As waves of change wash over hospitals and health systems, our focus remains the same. The Missouri Hospital Association’s 104th Annual Convention will double down on the core strengths and values that make our work exceptional — People: The Point of Care.

Registration is open for this year’s convention, taking place Wednesday, Nov. 4, through Friday, Nov. 6, at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center.

With MHA’s tiered members-only rates, the sooner you register, the more you save. A super-saver rate of $400 is available to members through Thursday, Sept. 10, and this year, convention registration is coupon eligible.

This year’s convention lineup features general- and breakout-session speakers who will shape our understanding of where innovation is occurring, helping us lead in ways that reflect and mobilize our team’s passion and purpose. Don’t miss these keynote sessions.

• “The Economy and Health Care’s Next Chapter” — Esther George, former president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
• “Patient Safety in the Era of AI: New Help and New Hope” — Laura L. Adams, senior advisor for the National Academy of Medicine
• “Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human” — Urs Koenig, founder of the Radical Humility Leadership Institute
• “Reality-Based Leadership: Ditching the Drama and Turning Excuses Into Results” — Cy Wakeman, founder of Reality Based Leadership

Beyond the sessions, convention is a time to engage, synthesize and convert inspiration into action as well as network with peers from across the state at the MHA Member Appreciation Reception, Celebration of Achievement Awards Dinner, Education Partner Marketplace Social and more.

MHA’s convention is approaching fast, so here’s what to do before you go:

• Review the agenda.
• Learn about the speakers.
• Check out networking events.
• Reserve your hotel room.
• Register for convention.

As always, this convention wouldn’t be possible without our generous education partners. Be sure to connect with them at the Education Partner Marketplace.

Make a plan to attend MHA’s 2026 convention and bring your team. Register now!

Hospitals in Missouri are projected to receive an estimated payment decrease of 3.76% for services provided under the OPPS. Although footnoted, the analysis does not reflect the effects of the 2% sequestration. Hospitals have until Monday, Aug. 31, to review their hospital-specific data and submit comments regarding the proposed rule.