Category Archives: Health Care

Area News, Ascension Via Christi, Bourbon County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Fort Scott, Government, Health Care

Bourbon County Takes Ownership of Former Mercy Hospital Building

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The Bourbon County Government has taken possession of the former Mercy Hospital.

Officials Introduce Innovative Healthcare Model

Mercy donates building and 1 million dollars toward a sustainable approach to rural healthcare.

Bourbon County and City of Fort Scott officials are committed to improving the quality of life for each member of the community, increasing access to affordable quality healthcare, and remaining vigilant stewards of taxpayer dollars. For years Fort Scott, KS was renowned for its healthcare. Mercy Hospital was an integral part of our health system from primary care to community benefit to leadership involvement.

 

What remains today are the caring professionals, ambitious leaders, beautiful hospital campus, and the ingrained culture of ensuring community health needs are addressed appropriately.

 

Bourbon County Commission will be partnering with our community healthcare partners, The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas and Ascension Via Christi, and higher education partner, Fort Scott Community College, in transforming our approach to rural healthcare. Bourbon County will be taking ownership of the previous Mercy Hospital Building.

 

With Ascension Via Christi and CHC/SEK occupying a portion of the facility, the county is working with other health service agencies to supplement the community’s health care needs by housing them in the remainder of the move-in ready space.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, 403 Woodland Hills Blvd., operates the clinic at the former Mercy Hospital building.

For the common good of the community, the building will be repurposed into a collaborative effort that will be here for decades to come.

Ascension Via Christi President, Randy Cason, states, “This is exciting news for Fort Scott and the surrounding communities. Ascension Via Christi is eager to continue working with our community partners here to help to find solutions for the healthcare needs of this more rural area.”

 

Ascension Via Christi operates the emergency department at the former Mercy Hospital building.

Mercy Health Southwest Missouri/Kansas Communities has submitted a draft donation agreement to donate the building and one million dollars to Bourbon County for use of building maintenance and operations. This donation allows healthcare entities to lease space in the healthcare mall at market-rate. A standardized market-rate lease has led to discussions with healthcare organizations to expand services not otherwise offered.

 

Administration from Bourbon County and The City of Fort Scott will work together, develop a regulatory board and long-term lease agreements moving forward.

 

“This project is much more than just saving a building,” Jody Hoener, Economic Development Director, “Preserving this asset allows our community to no longer be victims of circumstance, but to assume responsibility for our community’s healthcare destiny. It creates a sustainable healthcare model under one roof.” There is little doubt in the concept’s success with the right amount of support and will be used as a model shaping rural healthcare policy across the nation.

Contact information:

Jody Hoener, Bourbon County Economic Development Director

[email protected]

Business, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Health Care

Chamber Coffee Feb. 20 at Ascension Via Christi

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The Chamber Coffee will be hosted by
Ascension Via Christi of Fort Scott!
February 20th at 8 am!
401 Woodland Hills Blvd. Fort Scott
The coffee will be held in the McAuley conference room.
Celebrating one year of the ER, Lab & Radiology services at Fort Scott
Chamber Members & Guests are
welcome to attend and pay $1 to make any announcement about their business or organization including events, new products, promotions and more!
Upcoming Chamber Coffee Schedule:
* Fort Scott Community College – 2/27
* Bourbon County Arts Council Fine Arts Exhibit – 3/5
* Tri-Valley of Fort Scott – 3/12
* Briggs Auto Fort Scott – 3/19
* Smallville CrossFit- 3/26
Bourbon County, Health Care

Uniontown Collaboration: New Health Clinic Coming

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Mark Warren, Uniontown Ruritan member, opens the door of the proposed medical clinic just south of the football field.

A community collaboration of Uniontown Ruritan, Girard Hospital, USD 235 School District, Bourbon County Commission, and the City of Uniontown have been working to get a health clinic in the small town in western Bourbon County.

It’s been a long time coming.

Uniontown Mayor Larry Jurgensen had tried to get a medical clinic here several years ago, Mark Warren said.  Warren is a Ruritan Governor and member of Uniontown Ruritan.

Mark Warren, Uniontown Ruritan Member and initiator of the most recent medical clinic idea sits at a table in the proposed clinic on Feb. 18, during an interview with fortscott.biz..

“Mercy Hospital had no interest at that point,” Warren said.

Even before Mercy Hospital Fort Scott closed in Dec. 2018, Warren had been thinking about initiating a medical clinic in Uniontown, but when the hospital closed, “I thought this is bad, no hospital, nor a clinic,” he said.

Someone mentioned to Warren that Uniontown resident Holly Koch is the Chief Financial Officer of Girard Hospital and about 1.5 years ago he visited with Koch about the issue. Koch said she would visit with the CEO Ruth Duling and a meeting was set up.

Girard Hospital is 31 miles from Uniontown.

Uniontown is 19 miles from Fort Scott, 25 miles from Iola, both sites of  the nearest health care clinics. The clinic would serve western Bourbon County, eastern Allen County, northeastern Neosho County and northern Crawford County rural residents, Warren said.

“They came and we presented some statistics,” Warren said. Since then there have been approximately eight meetings with various Girard Hospital staff and local entities to talk through the idea.

Locally, Warren, Jurgensen, U235 Superintendent Brett Howard, Uniontown Council President Jess Ervin, Uniontown City Clerk who is also U235 Board of Education Member Sally Johnson, Bourbon County Economic Director Jody Hoenor and Bourbon County Commissioner Lynne Oharah have been in the collaboration.

Warren, Jurgensen and Jurgensen’s wife, Judy, along with  Bourbon County  Commissioner Lynne Oharah, recently went before the Girard Hospital board to give a history of how the idea for a clinic came about.

The board was favorable to the idea, Warren said.

The proposed building for the medical clinic is south of the Uniontown High School Football Field.

On Feb. 17, members of the collaborative group met at the proposed site on the campus of Uniontown High School, just south of the football field. Originally, the superintendents office, of late the building has housed the office of the school’s kitchen manager.

“They came, had the blueprints,” Warren said.

The hospital engineering staff will work on the design reconfigurement of the building into a medical clinic, Ruth Duling, Girard Hospital CEO, said.

Next will be getting materials, estimating the costs and raising funds to make the building into a medical clinic, Warren said.

There is no timeline for opening the clinic, Duling said.

Local volunteers will be helping with the labor of the building reconfiguration.

As soon as everything is in place, the hospital will begin the certification process to become a rural health clinic, Duling said.

Staff at the clinic will include a nurse practitioner and one other staff member, serving as both nurse and receptionist, Duling said.

Initially the clinic will be open 2-3 days a week.

“You don’t know until you do it,” if it will be feasible, Duling said. “It will be dependent on people to use the clinic and make it viable.”

One positive for the community:

“There are a lot of passionate people that want to see this come to fruition,” Duling said.

 

 

Government, Health Care

 Tests Negative for 2019 Novel Coronavirus Patient

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is reporting that a Person Under Investigation (PUI) from Douglas County who was being tested for the novel (new) 2019 coronavirus is not infected with the virus. Negative results were received today after testing was performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

“We are pleased that test results were negative and that the patient remains in good health. He had been released from LMH Health and was in a monitored, isolated living space following CDC guidelines,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “He will now be able to resume his normal routine, and there is no risk to the public.”

KDHE continues to work with CDC and local partners to detect and respond to any possible cases that might occur in Kansas in the future. In this instance, Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department played a key role in assisting the state.

“Local, state and federal public health partners plan, prepare and drill for these types of events,” Dr. Farah Ahmed, KDHE State Epidemiologist, said. “Our healthcare and public health infrastructure works hard every day to protect the public from infectious and contagious diseases, and we learn from these responses so we can continue to improve.”  

Coronavirus infections initially were diagnosed in Wuhan City, China, and have since been reported in travelers from this city to other locations in China and other countries including the United States. No cases have been confirmed in Kansas.

At this time of year, respiratory illnesses are most likely due to infection with influenza or other viruses that cause the common cold. It’s important to take precautions to be protected from these infections, including washing your hands, avoiding touching your face and getting an annual flu shot.

If you recently traveled to Hubei Province, China, and developed fever with respiratory symptoms within 14 days of your travel, or have had contact with someone who is suspected to have 2019 novel coronavirus, stay home and call your healthcare provider. For additional information on the 2019 novel coronavirus, you may visit our website at http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/index.htm or you may call the KDHE phone bank at 1-866-534-3463 (1-866-KDHEINF) on Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m.

For more information about 2019 novel coronavirus, visit CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html.

Bourbon County, Health Care, Schools

W.Bourbon Elementary: Kansas Health Champion

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West Bourbon Elementary School was recognized by from left: Secretary Norman, WBE PE InstructorJackie Hall, Miranda Steele, Candice McField.

2020 Kansas Health Champions Announced

WICHITA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Governor’s Council on Fitness (GCOF) presented the 2020 Kansas Health Champion Awards during a luncheon at the Community Health Promotion Summit today, Thursday, January 30.

The Health Champion Award was developed by the Governor’s Council on Fitness to recognize and promote exemplary contributions to fitness in Kansas. Those recognized include an individual and organization, as well as honorable mentions in each category.

  • Individual Health Champion: Andy Fry, Topeka
  • Organizational Health Champion: Redemption Plus, Lenexa
  • Individual Honorable Mention: Jim Blackwell, Hoisington
  • Organizational Honorable Mention: West Bourbon Elementary School, Uniontown

“Eligible nominees include volunteers, schools, communities, employers, media organizations and policy makers that put forth exceptional efforts to model, encourage and promote fitness in Kansas,” said Candice McField, GCOF Awards Chair. “The winners were selected from the nominations of several worthy candidates in each category.”

This is the seventh year for these awards.

“Congratulations to these individuals and organizations for being exceptional in their efforts to model, encourage and promote fitness in Kansas,” said KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman.

Health Champions

Andy Fry of Topeka serves in a volunteer capacity as the President of the Topeka Community Cycle Projects.  Andy has planned events around cycling and has written and received several thousands of dollars’ worth of grants and additional monies through fundraising to support local bike and pedestrian activities. He has led different community groups and boards and is one of the most vocal advocates on the city and state level for bike and pedestrian-related issues. These are just a few of the many accomplishments over the last 10 years.

Jenny Kramer, State Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator at Kansas Department of Transportation, who nominated Fry said, “The work Andy does will continue to have ripple and long-lasting effects. Andy and his like-minded friends, and the decision-makers he has influenced, have made Topeka a place that people want to live and work.”

Redemption Plus a merchandising company in Lenexa, is described as a “a one-of-a-kind organization where enthusiastic, caring people can lead full lives by bridging their professional and personal worlds.” Through their Wellness Platform, employees can participate in education as well as personal, group and company-wide challenges. They offer daily healthy meals, stretching and meditation plus a variety of workout options throughout the week with special classes. They even let their vendors know they are a health and wellness-oriented company and ask that they not send unhealthy treats.

Julie Annett, Wellness Crusader (Director) of Redemption Plus, says one employee who joined them from another company has been positively impacted by the organizational efforts around health and wellness after losing 30 pounds and gaining higher levels of job satisfaction. Brittany Stucky, Culture Champion for the business, adds “it’s about serving customers to the best of my ability while also being able to be committed to myself and my family.”

Honorable Mentions

Jim Blackwell of Hoisington understands that where a person lives and works influences their health. Jim is a proponent of healthy living, is very visible in the community and always models and participates in the policies and programs that support health and fitness. Jim’s approach to improve health disparities is to find innovative ways to shrink the gaps. He supports efforts to build a safe and walkable environment. Most recently he led an initiative to fill a sidewalk gap around the high school which created another community walking loop and provides easy access to the grocery store.

“Jim’s desire for these projects comes from wanting to cultivate health and wellness not only for the hospital staff but for the entire community,” said Karla Crissman who nominated Jim. “His strong commitment to health and wellness has changed the trajectory of health in our community for generations to come.”

West Bourbon Elementary School in Uniontown is challenging students to be healthy movers for life. Faculty in the school help make physical activity become something more than just a class. Activities throughout the school include morning fitness activities, brain breaks and fitness equipment. In September, 98 parents took part in an event called Take Your Parent to PE Week, the third year of the program. Through this program, students are taught about healthy habits, including development of a personal fitness plan.

Jackie Hall, Physical Education teacher at the school, in her nomination shared, “I am very proud how our school and district are committed to helping our students, as well as the community, maintain and create healthy habits for life.”

Business, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Health Care, Housing

New Businesses Downtown

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Lindsay Madison, executive director of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, speaks to the Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet attendees on Jan. 28 at Papa Don’s Restaurant on Main Street.

There is much happening in downtown Fort Scott.

New businesses that have opened up downtown were highlighted at the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet on Jan. 28. The meeting took place at Papa Don’s Restaurant.

Luther’s BBQ Restaurant, Moe’s Bread bakery, Ascension Via Christi’s medical office, Modern Woodmen of America office, the Bolton Law Firm, Visage Skin Care Spa-were mentioned by Chamber Executive Director Lindsay Madison to the group.

 

Up Dog Yoga, a fitness center, opened up at 12B North Main in September.

 

Common Grounds Coffee Shop, 10 E. Wall, is tentatively slated to be completed in April, Madison said. They will move from their current site on Main Street to a larger building.

 

Additionally, Structure by Margo, a beauty salon, will open next month at 19 S. National Ave.

 

And the Unsung Heroes Park, between Wall and First Street on Main Street is slated for completion this year.

 

Mayco Ace Hardware was recently approved for a loan for rehabilitating it’s building, Fort Scott Economic Director Rachel Pruitt told the meet and greet attendees.

 

The historic building at First and Main Street, is back on track to be made into apartments as well.

 

“We are moving forward,” Tony Krsnich, CEO of Flint Hills Holdings Group, told FortScott.Biz. “A new contractor, Rau Construction, Overland Park, will be starting in the next few weeks.”

“It will be made into 25 apartments, rents that accommodate a wide range of rents, from $300 up,” Krsnich said. “They will be one and two-bedroom units.

On the Main Street first floor there will be a commons area and some apartments also, he said.

The tentative date for completion is Sept. 1, Krsnich said.

 

Madison stated January is the start of a new year for grants for businesses and that Fort Scott is an eCommunity which strives to encourage entrepreneurship.

 

 

Bourbon County, Health Care, Schools

Uniontown Wins A Health Champion Award

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Media Advisory: 2020 Kansas Health Champions to be Awarded

 

 

WICHITA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Governor’s Council on Fitness (GCOF) will recognize the 2020 Kansas Health Champions at a luncheon Thursday, January 30 at 11:30 a.m. in Wichita. The awards will be held at the Drury Inn and Suites, 400 W. Douglas Ave in room 132. All media are invited to attend. Award winners will be available for interviews in room 105 following the presentation’s conclusion, estimated to be at 12:45 p.m.

 

The Health Champion Award was developed by the Governor’s Council on Fitness to recognize and promote exemplary contributions to fitness in Kansas. This is the seventh year for these awards. Those recognized include an individual and organization, as well as honorable mentions in each category.

 

2020 winners include:

 

  • Individual Health Champion: Andy Fry, Topeka
  • Organizational Health Champion: Redemption Plus, Lenexa
  • Individual Honorable Mention: Jim Blackwell, Hoisington
  • Organizational Honorable Mention: West Bourbon Elementary School, Uniontown

Award winners will make brief remarks.

 

Presenters scheduled include Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, GCOF Chair Miranda Steele and GCOF Awards Chair Candice McField.

 

Business, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

CHC/SEK: Not Possible To Pursue Mercy Building Repurpose

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The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) Board of Directors took no action today toward establishing a “medical mall” within the former Fort Scott Mercy Hospital. Prior to finalizing plans for the construction of a new primary care clinic, CHC/SEK had spent the past month assessing the feasibility of remaining in the existing building.

 

“It was our goal,” said CHC/SEK CEO Krista Postai, “to see if we could recruit enough occupants to cover the cost of repurposing the former hospital built in 2002 at the cost of $30 million.”

 

“After analyzing costs over the last year and projecting expenses if the building’s space was fully utilized, we estimated that we would need about $800,000 to $1 million annually to cover utilities and maintenance plus the staff to keep the building maintained and fully operational,” said Postai, adding the bulk of that expense would have to be covered by CHC/SEK and Ascension/Via Christi who together would occupy a large percentage of the overall building.

 

CHC/SEK staff met with multiple people and organizations to discuss their interest including officials from Fort Scott Community College who identified opportunities for space for their nursing department, as well as additional dormitory space. We were especially appreciative of the Bourbon County Commission who had pledged “in-kind” support to take care of mowing, snow removal, etc., as well as the Mercy Health System who had tentatively committed funds for needed and future repairs.

 

“Altogether, we had tentative commitments from about a half dozen interested in being a part of the project which covered about 100,000 sq. ft. of the 125,000 sq. ft. of available space,” said Postai, who explained the entire building is 177,000 sq. ft. but about 50,000 sq. ft. is dedicated to mechanical space that supports the overall building operations.

 

“That was assuming Ascension/Via Christi remained in the existing ER and Diagnostic Imaging area, and we continued to occupy the clinic space plus the pharmacy,” she said.

 

“Unfortunately, we were notified Wednesday that after analyzing their options, Ascension/Via Christi had determined to remain in the existing building on a permanent basis was cost-prohibitive, and it was more fiscally prudent to build a new ER,” said Postai.

 

“We were told the existing ER space would need about $3 million in renovations and that, plus a lease payment adequate to cover the cost of their share of the facility, would make it far more expensive than a new facility,” said Postai. The CHC/SEK Board was prepared to make a go/no go decision at their Board meeting Thursday but after learning that Ascension/Via Christi was moving forward on their own construction, the board determined it was not possible to pursue this project without them.

 

“We all have to make hard decisions about what is best for our organizations and, unfortunately, we all have limited funds and have to maximize our capital investments,” said Postai adding that both organizations remain committed to providing services in Ft. Scott.

 

Both CHC/SEK and Ascension/Via Christi had already started designing new facilities on the existing campus and will proceed on, said Postai explaining CHC/SEK was planning a 25,000 sq. ft. to 30,000 sq. ft. facility facing Horton Street at an estimated cost of about $5 million.

Ascension Via Christi, Business, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Fort Scott, Health Care

CHC/SEK: Not Possible to Pursue Mercy Building Repurpose

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The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) Board of Directors took no action today toward establishing a “medical mall” within the former Fort Scott Mercy Hospital. Prior to finalizing plans for the construction of a new primary care clinic, CHC/SEK had spent the past month assessing the feasibility of remaining in the existing building.

 

“It was our goal,” said CHC/SEK CEO Krista Postai, “to see if we could recruit enough occupants to cover the cost of repurposing the former hospital built in 2002 at the cost of $30 million.”

 

“After analyzing costs over the last year and projecting expenses if the building’s space was fully utilized, we estimated that we would need about $800,000 to $1 million annually to cover utilities and maintenance plus the staff to keep the building maintained and fully operational,” said Postai, adding the bulk of that expense would have to be covered by CHC/SEK and Ascension/Via Christi who together would occupy a large percentage of the overall building.

 

CHC/SEK staff met with multiple people and organizations to discuss their interest including officials from Fort Scott Community College who identified opportunities for space for their nursing department, as well as additional dormitory space. We were especially appreciative of the Bourbon County Commission who had pledged “in-kind” support to take care of mowing, snow removal, etc., as well as the Mercy Health System who had tentatively committed funds for needed and future repairs.

 

“Altogether, we had tentative commitments from about a half dozen interested in being a part of the project which covered about 100,000 sq. ft. of the 125,000 sq. ft. of available space,” said Postai, who explained the entire building is 177,000 sq. ft. but about 50,000 sq. ft. is dedicated to mechanical space that supports the overall building operations.

 

“That was assuming Ascension/Via Christi remained in the existing ER and Diagnostic Imaging area, and we continued to occupy the clinic space plus the pharmacy,” she said.

 

“Unfortunately, we were notified Wednesday that after analyzing their options, Ascension/Via Christi had determined to remain in the existing building on a permanent basis was cost-prohibitive, and it was more fiscally prudent to build a new ER,” said Postai.

 

“We were told the existing ER space would need about $3 million in renovations and that, plus a lease payment adequate to cover the cost of their share of the facility, would make it far more expensive than a new facility,” said Postai. The CHC/SEK Board was prepared to make a go/no go decision at their Board meeting Thursday but after learning that Ascension/Via Christi was moving forward on their own construction, the board determined it was not possible to pursue this project without them.

 

“We all have to make hard decisions about what is best for our organizations and, unfortunately, we all have limited funds and have to maximize our capital investments,” said Postai adding that both organizations remain committed to providing services in Ft. Scott.

 

Both CHC/SEK and Ascension/Via Christi had already started designing new facilities on the existing campus and will proceed on, said Postai explaining CHC/SEK was planning a 25,000 sq. ft. to 30,000 sq. ft. facility facing Horton Street at an estimated cost of about $5 million.

Business, Fort Scott, Health Care

Independent Medical Laboratory Coming to Fort Scott Feb. 3

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The sign in the front window of the new Mag-Lab office, tells the phone number to call for more information: 620-232-1900.

Mag-Lab, an independent medical laboratory, headquartered in Pittsburg, KS will be opening a Fort Scott satellite office on Feb. 3, 2020.

The office will be located in the building just north of Subway Restaurant at 1711 S. National, Suite C2.

Hours are 7 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday.

For more information contact: 620-232-1900.

The Offices, a set of professional office spaces being developed by Legweak LLC.

With specimens taken that morning , the results will be delivered to the doctor that afternoon.

“Complicated testing we send off to a reference lab,” Phlebotomist Sharon Newell said.

“If it’s a body fluid, we can test it,” Newell said.

“We can have anybody out in a few minutes,” she said. “There is not a lot of paperwork hassle. You have to have a doctor’s script if going through insurance.”

Gary and Jeannie Petersen are the owners of the lab.

 

Sharon Newell, the phlebotomist, stands in the doorway of the new Mag-Lab office in Fort Scott.

When one enters the lobby of the set of offices, there is a doorbell on the wall for contacting each of the personnel in the offices.

Currently, Mag-Lab is the only renter, but two more are on the horizon.

Brian Holt, medical technologist and Sharon Newell, phlebotomist stand in the lobby of The Offices, where the new Mag-Lab is located. The doorbell for notifying that clients are in the lobby is located behind Sewell.

Dr. Elias Tawil is the medical director of the lab.

Ascension Via Christi, Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott, Health Care

Via Christi Opens Clinic in Downtown Fort Scott Jan. 13

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Dr. Katrina Burke, courtesy of Ascension Via Christi.

Dr. Katrina Burke’s first day at the new AscensionVia Christi Medical Clinic in downtown Fort Scott is Monday, Jan. 13.

She will be accepting new obstetrics and pediatric patients.

Burke will also see previous patients but is accepting no new adult patients, according to her receptionist Kristal Farmer.

Dr. Burke said that the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK), her previous employer, did not send out letters, telling of the change to her patients when she left on Dec. 31. She had given CHC a 90 days notice of her intent to leave CHC/SEK.

Hours for the clinic, located at 109 S. Main (north of the Liberty Theater) are 8 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday.

Thursday afternoon she is out of the office, but is in the office in the morning, according to her receptionist.

To contact the office call 620-223-7008.

109 S.Main is the new location of Ascension Via Christi’s Medical Clinic in downtown Fort Scott. A new sign will be up soon.
Ascension Via Christi employee Niki Bishir mans the desk of the new medical clinic on Jan. 9. She was temporary, while the employees were in an orientation meeting, she said.
Dr. Katrina Burke has already added her personal touches to the new clinic: a hallway lined with a photo of her family and framed degrees she has earned during her career as a medical doctor.

New clinic employees are Farmer, Registered Nurse Rachel Judy, and Medical Assistant Chelsea Harrison.

For more information about the clinic, visit
viachristi.org/ftscott-clinic.

Government, Health Care, Kansas

Medicaid Expansion In Kansas

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Governor, Senate Majority Leader announce compromise
proposal to lower healthcare costs for Kansas families

Bipartisan agreement paves way for both Medicaid expansion and reinsurance

TOPEKA – After weeks of negotiations, Democratic Governor Laura Kelly and Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning today announced a compromise proposal to expand Medicaid while lowering health insurance premiums for Kansas families.

 

“This process is far from over, as there are still several critical steps to be taken by the Kansas Legislature,” Kelly said. “But today, Senator Denning and I are proud to stand together to propose a bipartisan compromise that will expand Medicaid and lower healthcare costs for Kansas families. This proposal includes elements of my plan, of Senator Denning’s plan, of the 2019 House plan, and of the bipartisan plan that passed both chambers in 2017.”

 

The compromise proposal includes key elements to address concerns raised from both parties, in both chambers:

 

    • Full Medicaid Expansion: The proposal includes a full expansion of Medicaid to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) with a 90/10 match, to be effective no later than January 1, 2021.
    • Reinsurance: Pending Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approval of a 1332 waiver and release of funding by the State Finance Council, the proposal includes a reinsurance program to be effective no later than January 1, 2022. The agreement also requires the Kansas Insurance Department to complete an actuarial study of the reinsurance proposal and submit to the State Finance Council.
    • Medicaid Funding: The proposal includes an annual hospital Medicaid expansion support surcharge of up to $35 million, which has been endorsed by the Kansas Hospital Association, to be effective July 1, 2021. This compromise proposal does not require a tax increase.
    • Promoting Personal Responsibility: The agreement includes a robust work referral program that promotes self-reliance for non-working Medicaid beneficiaries, while limiting costly administrative red tape that drives up overall costs to taxpayers. Enrollees within the expansion population will make a modest contribution for health services through monthly premiums of up to $25 per month, or $100 for a family of four, as proposed in House Bill 2066.  The bill does not contain any lockouts. Instead, it collects unpaid premiums through the state’s debt setoff program. A hardship provision is also included.
    • Rural Health Care Innovations: The proposal creates an advisory committee within the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to support rural hospitals in assessing viability and identifying new delivery models, strategic partnerships and implementing financial and delivery system reform to improve the health of rural communities.

 

“My top priority is to lower the cost of healthcare for Kansans across the board. We want to give as many Kansans health care coverage as we can, in the Medicaid market and the non-Medicaid market,” Denning said.

While this proposal is the most sweeping compromise offered since the debate over Medicaid expansion began in 2013, both Kelly and Denning underscored that more work remains.

 

“We’ll both be working with our respective caucuses in the coming days to get their feedback and buy-in,” Denning said. “But all sides can find something in this bill to like. That means it’s probably about as middle of the road as it can get.”

 

“This compromise was an important first step, but our work is not over yet,” Kelly said. “Legislators, many of whom were here today, have the ability to bring this over the finish line in the early days of the 2020 session. I am calling on them to do just that.”