Tuesday, January 8, 2012
All Hospitals Are Not the Same
As the debate about Medicaid expansion or not (or how) continues, the hospitals are expected to be a force. They’ll have to educate legislators about the sometimes complicated ways that they fund healthcare to the poor and the consequence if their funding is cut.
Here’s an interesting article by Kaiser Health News (Read it here) which calls attention to the diversity of hospitals and their funding streams.
Pull Quote: “While much of the hospital industry has lamented the deal reached between Congress and the White House because it will pay about half the $30 billion bill to avert a 27 percent Medicare fee cut for physicians, the agreement was cause for celebration for about 200 small, rural hospitals. That’s because it also extended for one year a program that pays hospitals such as Jones Memorial up to several millions of dollars each year because they have fewer than 100 beds, are located in rural areas and treat a high proportion of Medicare patients.”
Missouri Hospitals This Impacts
Capital Region Medical Center
Fitzgibbon Memorial Hospital
Golden Valley Memorial Hospital
Lake Regional Health System
Missouri Southern Healthcare
Nevada Regional Medical Center
Parkland Health Center
Ripley County Memorial Hospital
No Worry About PQ in CD-8
From sources: “There won’t be a PQ in the meeting. This is a nominating meeting. The only issues addressable are items on the agenda. There won’t be any votes for anything else.”
Other CD-8 Bits
It’s said that Jason Smith is doing well in part because he spent a fair amount of time at the Republican Convention in Tampa last summer getting to know some of the other committee members who were there.
One guesser thinks that between a third and half of the committee members may have committed to one of the candidates… but of course with secret ballot what does “committed” really mean?
The quirks of the rules mean that there will be committee members from Jefferson County and Franklin County who have votes in the process but don’t even live in the congressional district.
Similarly there’s a “single household” in Reynolds County with four votes while Cape Girardeau’s 70,000 people only account for six votes.
House Committee Assignments
It sounds like most legislators have been notified about their committee assignments. Due to the math of term limits, there are more returning Republican House members than there are chairmanships to award.
This may create some grumbling, but every returning member will be given either a chair or vice chairmanship.
Expect a formal announcement today concerning the House Budget Committee. As previous announced Rep. Rick Stream will chair, and as expected Rep. Tom Flanigan will be vice-chair – putting him firmly in line to take the reins of that powerful committee in January 2015. Other Republicans who will obviously be on that committee will be the chairs of the various appropriations committee: Reps. Sue Allen, Marsha Haefner, Denny Hoskins, Mike Lair, Mark Parkinson, and Craig Redmon.
Ed Interviews
Tea Party blogger Darin Morley nabs the first interview with Ed Martin since his victory last weekend to become Republican Party Chair. See it here.
Pull Quotes
On Akin mess was handled: “Most people will admit, and if they don’t I think they should, the public sort of you know display of ‘get out the race Todd Akin you’re not the one we want’ was very, not only disheartening, but not helpful…”
On hiring executive director: “I have ideas on executive director, but also I’m going to do a search that will allow candidates from across the state of Missouri as well as across the country to look at this…”
Moving On
Aaron Baker, former staffer to Sen. Bill Stouffer, has joined the Congressman Sam Graves team. He covers Graves’ new twelve northeast counties.
After termed Sen. Jim Lembke posted a Facebook status mentioning his next act will be at the Capitol, the grapevine started shaking… “As I start my work in the capitol Wednesday, I am going to respectfully remain (sic) our representatives and senators of their oath and want (sic) it means to be a servant of all the people.”
Professor Schmidty
Starting next week, Brian Schmidt – who runs MOWonk – will start teaching a class at Truman State University. The class, Organizational Theory and Leadership, is part of TSU's Masters in Leadership Program, and will take Schmidty to Kirksville every Thursday night after the legislative week ends.
Osborne Not In House 53
From Holmes Osborne on forming a new committee: “I was merely trying to find a place to put the $3000 left over in my campaign account. I am going to disperse the funds. I am not running again in 2014.”
Pro Bono Challenge
Brian Grace has been challenging all lobbyists to pick a non-profit and become their pro bono lobbyist this session. The latest to join the challenge is his SNR Denton colleague Kelvin Simmons who will represent Bridge Leadership Academy.
Bits
Governor Jay Nixon will give his State of the State Address at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28.
Rep. Jay Barnes offers a moderating voice within the Republican majority on putting more guns in schools. Read it here.
Pelopidas’ David Jackson tweeted that he’ll serve as the new executive director for the Missouri Society of Anesthesiologists.
Former speaker Rod Jetton and former state senator Bill McKenna will unveil the recommendations of their Blue Ribbon Transportation Committee today. Read it here.
Post-Dispatch reported that termed Rep. Vicki Schneider filed to run for O’Fallon City Council. Read it here.
St. Louis Beacon reported on StudentsFirst’s report card on Missouri schools. Read it here.
So You Know
“Rep-elect Keith English’s girlfriend is a dead ringer for Jane Cunningham.”
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
Richard M Aubuchon added Polsinelli Shughart PC, and all of their clients.
Jacob D Otto deleted Leo/Frederick & Associates LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
United Food & Commercial Workers Local #655 Elect Political Action Fund - $6,347 from United Food & Commercial Workers.
MO Democratic State Committee - $27,000 from A Better Missouri with Governor Jay Nixon.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Sen-elect Mike Cunningham (66) and Janson Thomas.