Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and the Web.
Iowa News
Invest in Iowa Act can help build the mental health system we need for our future
Last year, Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature heard loud and clear from their constituents that mental health is a priority to Iowans, and they took a bold step to establish a children’s mental health system. This year, the governor has taken another major step in fixing the patchwork of children’s behavioral services by introducing the Invest in Iowa Act. The bills now under consideration in the Iowa House and would move the children’s mental health system past the blueprint stage by establishing a predictable, sustainable funding source. (Des Moines Register)
Legislature approves funds for assistance at Glenwood Resource Center
The Iowa Legislature has allocated more than $300,000 for use at the Glenwood Resource Center amid the fallout of a sexual arousal study conducted at the facility that resulted in federal investigations and lawsuits. Senate File 2144 provides $333,000 to the Iowa Department of Human Services to support efforts to make changes at the Glenwood Resource Center, according to the governor’s office. The funds will be used for clinical assessments by University of Iowa staff, expert evaluations and to provide technical assistance on process and procedures. (Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil)
Iowa mental health regions expand services
Iowa’s relatively new mental health regions have paved the way for mental health providers such as Foundation 2 mobile crisis services to reach beyond their county borders and into rural communities where resources are few and far between. But there have been some growing pains. County supervisors are learning how to work together to decide how regional dollars will be spent. At the same time, the state has yet to provide money for the mandated services. (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
National New
2019 broke record for most rural hospital closures
The number of rural hospitals that shut their doors reached a record-setting 19 last year, according to a new report that aims to pinpoint why hospitals are closing. The Chartis Center for Rural Health and iVantage Health Analytics released a report Friday that found 120 rural facilities have shut their doors since 2010. The study also explored indicators that can lead to a rural hospital’s demise. (Fierce Healthcare)
Senate Health Committee announces hearing on US coronavirus response
The Senate Health Committee on Wednesday announced a hearing on the U.S. response to the coronavirus spreading across China and other countries. The hearing will be March 3 and feature officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health, and Food and Drug Administration, the committee said. The hearing will focus on how to “prevent the potential spread of disease in the United States,” the committee said. (The Hill)
Trump Medicaid proposal sparks bipartisan warnings
Republicans and Democrats alike are warning that a recent proposal from the Trump administration could lead to billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, forcing states to eliminate benefits, reduce enrollment or cut payments to health providers. In a rare sign of unity, hospitals, insurers, patient advocates and members of both political parties are on the same page in their opposition to the Trump administration’s plan, and most have urged the administration to withdraw a proposal they say would “cripple” Medicaid, the federal-state partnership that provides health care for the poor. (The Hill)