House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (D-Springfield) is seeking Missouri’s Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2024. Republicans currently have a GOP supermajority in the House of 111-51. Leader Quade joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri.” She predicts House Democrats will pick up five additional seats in the next election cycle. She’s also confident that bipartisan child care legislation from State Rep. Brenda Shields (R-St. Joseph) will pass the House again this year, and predicts GOP Governor Mike Parson’s proposed budget in January will fund Medicaid expansion. Leader Quade tells listeners that a number of rural Missouri hospitals have closed since she took office after the 2016 election. She says Medicaid expansion is helping rural hospitals:
Missouri health officials deny reinstatement of operating licenses for two rural mid-Missouri hospitals
A state lawmaker from mid-Missouri’s Mexico says Platinum Health has not made required major repairs to the now-closed Mexico and Fulton hospitals.
State Rep. Kent Haden (R-Mexico) tells the “Mexico Ledger” that is the reason that the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) denied reinstatement of the hospital licenses. The hospitals have been closed since late March.
DHSS says Mexico’s hospital needs window repairs, while the aging Fulton hospital must repair its HVAC system and hot water heater. Representative Haden tells the newspaper that the old Mexico hospital may never pass inspection, and that a new hospital would likely have to be built.
Key Audrain County business leader says Mexico needs its hospital
The Mexico area Chamber of Commerce is hopeful that the town’s hospital will re-open. Noble Health closed its hospital doors in mid-Missouri’s Mexico and Fulton on March 25, and Mexico chamber executive director Dana Keller says it’s been a rough month. She’s optimistic now, and says Mexico needs the hospital. “Our county is too big, …