The Rolla clinic is keeping its staff and shifting most of its care to telehealth appointments. Patients who need in-person care are now being referred to other providers in the area or Planned Parenthood clinics in Springfield and St. Louis.
Meg Cunningham
Meg Cunningham is The Beacon’s rural health reporter. She graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism, where she covered state government and health. She spent roughly three years covering national politics, including the 2018 and 2020 elections, at ABC News in Washington. She’s spent over five years covering politics and policy, with the last three of those years focused on Missouri state government, developing expertise on state policy and agencies, democracy and representation, and health outcomes in Missouri. She grew up in the Kansas City suburbs.
Posted inRural
More services at central Missouri hospital fall victim to economic pressures
Fitzgibbon Hospital cites staffing costs, inflation and reimbursement gaps from the federal government as reasons for the closures.
Posted inHealth
As Missouri stares down Medicaid cuts, it seeks federal rural health funding
The Trump administration’s budget bill included about $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid. As part of an effort to offset those costs, Congress created the Rural Health Transformation Fund, a $50 billion bucket of money that goes to states.
Posted inRural
As the number of homeless people rises in Missouri, cities confront cross-border “drop-offs”
Joplin officials recently passed an ordinance banning the practice after noticing out-of-state vehicles dropping off homeless people. Columbia, meanwhile, has adopted a voluntary ride home program.
Posted inRural
The USDA defunded a program aimed at helping small farmers. What’s next for the Missouri farmers who relied on it?
Leaders of the Heartland Regional Food Business Coalition are figuring out how to move forward after the USDA cut funding for regional food business centers.
Posted inRural
After the emergency visit, what’s still making you sick? Missouri hospitals look at asking the personal questions
A new study based out of the University of Missouri hospital’s emergency department found that nearly half of families surveyed said they had at least one unmet social need.
Posted inHealth
Even after benefits resume, SNAP recipients will see more restrictions
A federal judge ruled the Trump administration must release full payments of SNAP benefits for the month of November.
Posted inHealth
$50,000 for signing off: Missouri’s rules are blocking access to care, nurse practitioners say
Nurse practitioners and midwives have been pushing to get the law changed in Missouri, but haven’t made any progress. Now, one Columbia nurse is suing the state.
Posted inRural
Half of Missouri ZIP codes see Postal Service cuts under consolidation plan, but millions still rely on the service
The shift is part of a Postal Service push to cut costs by shifting mail transport from air travel to ground transportation, which has slowed delivery times across America.
Posted inHealth
Upgrades are coming to Missouri’s Head Start nutrition programs after new federal funding
Seven Missouri Head Start centers are set to receive nearly $2 million in funding for upgrades and educational resources.