Area hospitals, medical schools and doctors are working to reduce stigma and improve access to mental health care.
Suzanne King
Suzanne King is The Beacon’s health care reporter and has covered the beat since November of 2023. Previously she covered the telecommunications and technology industries for The Kansas City Star and the Kansas City Business Journal. She also covered local government, crime and education at newspapers in western Massachusetts and upstate New York. She grew up in Missouri and has lived in Kansas City for almost 30 years. Suzanne holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Posted inHealth
Kansas City workers can bet on paying more for health insurance next year
Health insurance premiums are expected to jump in 2026, and many businesses say they’ll be forced to pass some of the increase on to employees.
Posted inHealth
Who can get an updated COVID vaccine and what will it cost? Kansas City doctors say that’s still uncertain
The FDA is only recommending the new shot to people who are 65 or older or have a complicating health condition. Many doctors believe it should be given to everyone.
Posted inImmigration
Refugees could lose SNAP benefits any day. Then health care will go away
New federal legislation has changed who qualifies for food stamps and health care benefits like Medicaid. Refugees and asylees don’t.
Posted inHealth
As COVID cases in Kansas City increase, so does confusion about vaccine recommendations
The CDC has already changed some vaccine guidelines, and the FDA may change others, which could throw insurance coverage into question and lead to fewer people getting shots.
Posted inHealth
Brace for sticker shock if you’re buying health insurance on the ACA marketplace
Insurance companies have proposed the highest rate increases since 2018. Health care analysts blame Trump administration policies, which will raise prices and drive healthy people out of the marketplace.
Posted inHealth
Kansas City program that helps people age at home sees slow growth, real benefits
PACE KC, a year-old integrated health care program for older adults, lets Jackson County residents find care and support while avoiding a nursing home.
Posted inHealth
Missouri and Kansas seniors brace for fallout from Medicaid, SNAP cuts
The states have been studying how to support their aging populations, but now critical federal funds won’t be available to help.
Posted inHealth
‘Medicaid is a lifeline’ for people living with disabilities, but they are about to lose vital services
Many people living with disabilities rely on Medicaid for home-based care. But that service, which isn’t required by law, could be one of the first cuts states make following the Trump administration’s budget bill.
Posted inHealth
Kansas City’s largest safety-net hospital braces for Medicaid fallout under Trump budget
University Health, which counts on Medicaid for more than half of its patient revenue, vows that cutting services and staff will be the last resort.