Midwest Nursing SmartBrief

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February 12, 2013

News for and about nurses in the Midwest

Health Law, Policy and Regulation in the Midwest

Legislators worry Medicaid expansion will hurt Mo. credit rating
The Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee's Republican members raised concerns that expanding Medicaid could damage the state's credit rating. "We're faced right now with making a pretty darn big decision on Medicaid, and that is if we're going to basically hitch our wagon a lot tighter to the federal government," said Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, the head of the committee. San Francisco Chronicle/The Associated Press (2/11)

Medicaid expansion gets boosts in Mich., Minn.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder joined five other Republican governors who have backed Medicaid expansion in their states. The Minnesota House approved a bill expanding Medicaid eligibility to more than 35,000 residents. In Kansas, where the Legislature is expected to decide whether to expand Medicaid, a report said doing so would cost the state an extra $600 million over 10 years. Reuters (2/6), Minnesota Public Radio (2/12), Modern Healthcare (subscription required)/The Associated Press (2/9)

Mo. lawmakers may consider new state mental health facility
Behavioral health officials want Missouri lawmakers to approve construction of a new mental health facility, at a cost of about $211 million, to replace the aging and inadequate space at Fulton State Hospital. Lawmakers are working on a bond proposal that could include the funding, and voters would have the final say. St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Political Fix blog/The Associated Press (2/11)

Medicaid problems found for some Mo. nursing homes
A report from the HHS Office of Inspector General found some nursing homes in Missouri made bookkeeping errors and failed to report overpayments to the Medicaid program within allowed time limits. The OIG said Missouri should increase its audits. Healthcare IT News (2/8)

Nursing and Medical Science

ANA recognizes 6 hospitals for use of nursing quality data
The ANA honored the six recipients of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators Award for Outstanding Nursing Quality, including Akron Children's Hospital Mahoning Valley in Boardman, Ohio. Of the more than 1,900 hospitals considered for the award, six "demonstrated superior results and sustained improvement in patient outcomes that are tied to the quality of nursing services and nurse work environment factors," the group said. Other recipients are Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J.; Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo.; Rose Medical Center in Denver; Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital in San Diego and St. Francis Hospital -- The Heart Center in Roslyn, N.Y. Nurse.com (2/7)

Ill. reassesses deadline to hire certified school nurses
Illinois education officials say schools will not be able to meet a July 1 mandate for districts to hire certified school nurses who are trained to work with special education students. School administrators said certified nurses are in short supply. Cathy Yonkaitis, who leads the University of Illinois at Chicago's school nurse certification program, supported an interim step but said "certification should be what we're striving for." The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Ill.) (2/7)

Health Care News

Kansas City-area medical research takes aim at cancer
A research collaboration between Children's Mercy Hospital and the University of Kansas Medical Center aims to reformulate cancer drugs for children as better-tasting liquids. The KU hospital has been designated as a National Cancer Institute cancer center, and Children's Mercy is working on several cancer projects with other research centers. The Kansas City Star (Mo.) (2/6)

MONA News

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	Recent Midwest Nursing SmartBrief Issues: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 Tuesday, January 29, 2013 Tuesday, January 22, 2013 Tuesday, January 15, 2013 Tuesday, January 08, 2013			Lead Editor: Tom Parks Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004