Legislation that would authorize the UM Board of Curators and Columbia-based MU Health Care to acquire, purchase, manage or sell hospitals and medical facilities in 25 counties concerns one of the Missouri House’s senior members.
State Rep. Kent Haden’s (R-Mexico) district has lost two hospitals in recent years. He spoke on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Missouri”:
“We’ve lost the Fulton hospital and the Mexico hospital in the last three years. And we understand what being a health care desert is, but the word non-competitive really creates great angst for me,” Representative Haden says.
He would rather see MU Health Care reopen closed hospitals in Mexico, Fulton and Boonville. MU Health Care says the bill would improve rural care in those 25 counties. Most of those counties are in the 939 the Eagle listening area. Haden has a variety of concerns:
“Then you got to say who would be the most likely targets to take over. And you got to look at … would Moberly be one, would Macon be one. Would Marshall be one, would Sedalia be one,” says Representative Haden.
Randolph, Macon, Saline and Pettis are four of the 25 counties included in the bill from veteran State Rep. Jeff Knight (R-Lebanon). MU Health Care and other supporters of the two-page House Bill 3170 say it would expand access to needed health care services in rural counties and would also expand training opportunities for doctors, nurses and therapists.
You can listen to Representative Haden’s full “Wake Up Missouri” interview here.