JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Representatives from Missouri’s hospitals and the Missouri Hospital Association traveled to Washington, D.C., this week to meet with Missouri’s congressional delegation and share their views on health care issues.
In their meetings with lawmakers, the group discussed provisions of several bills currently before Congress, including an extension of congressional moratoriums on federal rules that restrict Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement to hospitals. They also discussed legislation that would restrict physician self-referral to specialty hospitals and several measures that would strengthen rural health care access.
“Congressional intervention has been critical to blocking several federal rules that would materially harm the ability of Missouri hospitals to serve patients and educate tomorrow’s health care providers,” said Daniel Landon, MHA senior vice president of governmental relations. “ Missouri’s congressional delegation has done an outstanding job of responding to the challenges hospitals face in working to build healthier communities.”
Leaders representing northwest Missouri hospitals included Dirck Clark, regional director, and Al Purcell, board member, of Heartland Health in St. Joseph, Mo.; Brian J. Johnston, chief executive officer of Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe, Mo.; David Carpenter, president and chief executive officer of North Kansas City Hospital; and Don L. Sipes, vice president of regional services and chief executive officer of Saint Luke’s Northland Hospital – Smithville Campus.
The delegation of 25 hospital representatives was organized by MHA and comprised of hospital and health system executives, trustees and auxilians.
The Missouri Hospital Association is a not-for-profit membership association in Jefferson City that represents 151 Missouri hospitals. In addition to representation and advocacy on behalf of its membership, the association offers continuing education programs on current health care topics and seeks to educate the public, as well as legislative representatives, about health care issues.
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