Steve's Blog

Kansas to now enjoy clean indoor air, but where is Missouri?

2010-03-01T14:42:00.003-06:00

Four years ago it was generally agreed that passing a clean indoor air bill in Kansas would never happen. Then year by year with much work, education, cooperation and networking among various interest groups (including foundations and the Kansas Health Policy Authority), the Kansas Senate passed a good bill last year. However, after the bill had a hearing in a House Committee, there was no further action taken.

After the legislators adjourned last year, a group of strategic, hard working and very dedicated Kansans developed a strategy to educate House members about the harm caused by second hand smoke. Their hard work paid off as last week the House passed a clean indoor air bill that will become state law on July 1st of this year. Governor Parkinson included passage of this bill as one of his top legislative priorities for 2010. Congratulations to the legislative leaders in Kansas and volunteers, organizations and citizens who worked so hard to make this action possible.

In Missouri it appears we do not have the legislative leadership to pass a strong clean indoor air bill this year. Two good clean indoor air bills have been introduced (SB 904) by Sen. Joan Bray (D) in the Senate and (HB 1766) by Rep. Walt Bivins (R) in the House. These two bills are very comparable to the clean indoor air legislation passed in Kansas and what was recently passed by the voters of Kansas City, Mo. Thanks to Senator Matt Bartle, SB 904 will be up for a vote in his committee in the next few days, but the chances of this bill being agreed to by the legislature this year seem remote.

The research is clear… clean indoor air legislation saves lives and saves health care dollars and sales at the vast majority restaurants and bars are not adversely affected in the long run. It is legislation that should be enacted in Missouri if only we can find enough courageous legislators to stand up to the money and influence of the tobacco industry. Only twelve states do not prohibit smoking in bars and restaurants—it is time for Missouri to join the rest of the country in order to improve the health outcomes of Missourians.

Why Just Waldo?

2010-02-16T14:33:00.002-06:00

I have a daughter who lives in the Waldo area and we have been very disturbed about the rapes that have recently occurred in this neighborhood. To the credit of many Waldo residents and the police department, many community meetings are being held, posters of the alleged rapist are plastered all over the neighborhood, newspapers are routinely running front page articles and TV stations are leading their newscast with nightly stories about this situation. While all this attention is comforting to me as a dad, I wonder how a dad who has a child living in other parts of our community feels when he sees all this effort being paid to this somewhat rare but violent crime that has taking place in the Waldo area.

Rapes, shootings, and other violent crimes are regular occurrences in some neighborhoods in our community. Where are the front page stories and outrage for these crimes? Why are the community and police reactions to these rapes and shootings any less newsworthy in the urban core than they are in the Waldo Community? Alvin Brooks and other community leaders periodically organized vigils or prayer services to honor these victims and attempt to ask the community for help in finding those who are responsible, but where is everyone else?

The constant attention and community support that is taking place in the Waldo neighborhood is a model that should be used in other parts of the city when a violent action takes place. It is not enough to simply report the tragedy that someone was raped or killed. The real story is how the community is responding to this terrible crime and keeping community attention focused on preventing further attacks and bringing the people responsible for the crime to justice. The attention and support being given to the Waldo neighborhoods should be replicated routinely in other parts of our city.

A Fond Farewell

2010-02-02T20:11:00.000-06:00

For those of you who work for a nonprofit organization or who serve on a nonprofit board, you know the importance and dedication of the folks who serve as board members. Last week HCF had six of our founding director’s leave the board as their board terms expired. These founding board members were simply amazing.

In September 2003 Missouri Attorney General Nixon named our founding board members and provided them with money from the sale of Health Midwest Hospitals to HCA but gave little other direction other than to “do what was right”. The founding board had to determine funding priorities, develop financial management and investment practices, hire consultants and vendors, find office space, hire staff, and most importantly listen to needs of the community.

This foundation has benefited greatly from the leadership of these outstanding men and women. They developed an ethics and conflict of interest policy for board and associates that is very strong and comprehensive. They established funding guidelines and grant making procedures that are transparent and fair. They made sure we provided training to small grass roots and faith based organizations so they could compete for funding. They challenged us to take risks and to get deeply involved in public policy discussions that affect the uninsured and underserved.

As HCF transitions to new board leadership I want to take time to thank our outgoing founding board members: Dr. Harry Jonas, Mary Lou Jaramillo, Larry Blankinship, Rod Minkin, Landon Rowland and Mark Flaherty. Thanks for your leadership and friendship!

We welcome new leaders to the HCF foundation board: Al Mauro, Sr., Marie McCarther, Marcia Nielsen, Dr. Dan Purdom, Kenny Southwick, Ken Stremming, & Susan Wilson. We look forward to working with these new board leaders as we continue the journey of providing leadership, advocacy and resources that eliminate barriers to quality health for uninsured and underserved in our service area.

Reforming Health Information Technology

2010-01-19T14:29:00.000-06:00

For those of you who know me, it will come as no shock to hear me say that I am not skilled in matters that pertain to computers or technology. In fact, some would say that I am totally lacking in these skill sets. I do, however, understand the power and usefulness of technology and am inspired to learn and work on policy issues that attempt to take advantage of technology to better our community and nation.

A few weeks ago Ron Levy, Director of the Missouri Department of Social Services, asked me to provide leadership to an effort to determine how the state, working with other interested partners, can use technology to improve health access and health outcomes for all Missourians at an affordable cost. Director Levy has assembled over 200 people with various backgrounds/expertise from all over the state to provide leadership for this important assignment. Various committees have been established and much progress has been made. I am particularly proud that Missouri is one of the few states that are including consumers as an equal partner in this important process.

A web site has been established so everyone can follow our progress. All Missourians are invited to comment and give us direct feedback as we develop a statewide strategic plan. I invite you to visit this web site http://www.dss.mo.gov/hie often. For those of us who live in Kansas City, we know how important it is that health providers in Missouri and Kansas are able to share patient health information with each other across the state line because many of us have health providers in both states.

The federal government is offering monetary incentives to states and health providers to improve our health information technology. This reform is long overdue! As we continue on this journey of reforming our health information technology we should be asking ourselves one basic question: What is in the best interest of all consumers – either insured or uninsured. By keeping our focus on this question we will find acceptable solutions.

New Year is a Time to Give Thanks

2010-01-07T14:41:00.001-06:00

The Holidays are over and it is time to get back to work. My house was full of family, laughter, and good food for virtually every day between Christmas and New Year. Like most of you who live in the Kansas City area, I spent some part of each day shoveling snow. I was able to watch some TV, read a book and catch up on some work projects. It was a very busy time but it was good to be away from the day to day routine activities.

Not everyone is so lucky. Many folks live on the streets or in homeless shelters or in their cars. Taking a break from their “daily routine” is not possible. Even on holidays, young children are taken into foster care, women are abused by their “friend” and homeless folks walk the streets looking for a handout at street corners. Uninsured residents get sick and try to find somebody to provide health care to them. Isolated elderly people are lonely and confused and afraid to come out of their rooms. People are hungry and are unable to provide food for their family. This is the other side of our community that people do not like to talk about but it does exist – and the numbers are growing.

As we ring in the New Year, I salute the staffs of not profit organizations and government employees that provide vital life saving services around the clock to the “least among us”. I am in awe of the passion, dedication, respect and patience that these professionals show their clients. So while the rest of us were enjoying a break from the “daily grind” during the holiday season many of these non-profits and government professionals were still at work taking care of those that need assistance. Please know you are appreciated and we are in awe of your dedication to your community.

We Need Solutions, Not Politics!

2009-12-24T21:49:00.001-06:00

After months of intensive debate, the Senate has passed a health care bill. When Congress comes back to Washington, D.C. after the Holiday break, serious negotiations will begin as House and Senate conferees will debate the final language that will hopefully be sent to the President for his signature.

In the 1970’s I worked for U.S. Senator Tom Eagleton in Washington, D.C. and have been directly involved as a staff member in a few of these conference committee discussions…although none as important as the health care debate. The pressure felt by everyone involved in the conference committees was enormous then, as I’m sure it is today.

What is different today is the extreme partisanship. On Sunday, 40 members of the Senate decided that health reform at this time was not necessary. Rather than operating in good faith and trying to negotiate a comprise bill they can live with, these 40 Senators are no longer involved in the discussions other than to say that everything proposed is bad.

Clearly the minority feel as though the majority have not operated in good faith and therefore they are not going to support something they did not help create. Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, some of the 60 Senators in the majority are acting like kids in a candy store demanding goodies for their state in order to obtain their vote. This is just irresponsible.

Political partisanship is ruining our country. In the 1970’s I can’t imagine that this situation would take place. Political leaders of both parties would have stopped this from happening because they were more interested in getting a good bill passed rather than positioning for the next election. Political leaders on both sides are not doing their job and the country is suffering because of this lack of leadership.

KS and MO: Stop Cutting and Start Looking for New Revenue Streams

2009-12-08T22:34:00.000-06:00

Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon recently announced another round of very deep and troubling budget cuts. Both Governors’ gave a clear signal that more budget cuts would be forthcoming unless the economy significantly improved very soon.

I wonder when one or more of our elected officials will provide leadership and say that we have cut enough and now it is time to look for more state revenue. Obviously, this kind of public policy stance will not be popular in some places but it would be very welcome news in places that care for school age children/young adults and with social services and health agencies that care for the poor, disabled, mentally ill and the elderly. Frankly, every segment of state government is suffering …including our roads, parks, natural resources, corrections, conservation, agriculture and economic development agencies that are trying to create more jobs.

Missouri has the second lowest cigarette tax in the nation. If Missourians had agreed to increase the tax we charge on cigarettes a few years ago, much of the budget problems we face today would not be in play. While Kansans pay a higher tax on their cigarettes, leaders in both states have the ability to increase their state revenues by increasing the cigarette tax, while at the same time lowering the number of folks who smoke…especially young children who tobacco officials have targeted with their advertising.

Each state also has tax credits that need to be reviewed to make sure they are working properly and that the state is benefiting as the law intended when it was passed. Why do we not tax sales made on internet transitions? We have a new internet economy and we have the ability to increase our state revenues dramatically while at the same time provide an equal playing field for retailers who only provide sales in retail store.

Now is the time for bold leadership … now is the time to look for increased revenues to fund necessary public services to the citizens of our two states.

Thanks to Those Working Toward Reform

2009-11-23T22:50:00.000-06:00

During the Thanksgiving season one year ago I wrote a blog about my Mom celebrating her 90th birthday. Today I am happy to report that my Mom will be celebrating her 91st birthday this week. She is a vibrant person who reads constantly and knows more about national and local news than most people. She is an inspiration to me and my family in that she always has a positive attitude. I am so fortunate to have such a loving and compassionate mom.

During this time of year, we must take time to remember all the things we have to be thankful for. As a nation we are getting closer to national health reform –even though we are not sure what exact provisions will actually be included. The current health system works for some, but for most of the folks this foundation represents, the current health system is not providing adequate access to health, mental health, dental and preventive care to those in need. National health reform gives us an opportunity to improve our current system.

I am thankful for the elected officials who are willing to discuss ways to improve our current system, and not bury their heads in the sand and say everything is OK. Now is the time for people of good will who are looking for positive solutions to improve our health care delivery system to step forward. We are living is historic times and I hope we have elected officials who are willing and able to be historic leaders.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a Little Faith

2009-11-12T14:26:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I go months without reading a good book and sometimes I find myself reading two or three books at the same time. Well, I have been reading a lot lately.

Two weeks ago Mitch Albom was in Kansas City promoting his new book “have a little faith”. I had bought this new book because I had really enjoyed reading other books written by this author…especially his book entitled “Tuesday with Morrie”.

This new book touched my heart. It is a true story about two religious men from different backgrounds and with different faith journeys. One man was a rabbi from the Bronx; the other was a minister to a homeless congregation in Detroit. While the rabbi always felt comfort with his faith, he never stopped asking questions, especially when his young daughter died. The other minister was a drug addict who spent years in prison and living on the streets before he started his church for the homeless. He too struggled with his faith because he saw so much destruction and pain in the world.

One of the things I like about this book is that I bet every person who reads it will discover something unique to ponder depending where they are in their own faith journey. My take is that my faith journey is about asking questions and having enough curiosity and courage to challenge my current thinking so I can hopefully reach a deeper and more personal relationship with God. When I stop asking questions and having doubts…then my faith becomes stagnant. Faith is a journey of hope. Without hope, the meaning of life and death is hard to comprehend.

Hawaii - A Model for the Nation to Follow

2009-10-23T11:01:00.002-05:00

The New York Times recently ran a story about the health care system in the state of Hawaii. You can read the entire story on the HCF web site policy page.

Since 1974 Hawaii has required all employers to provide health care benefits to employees who work 20 hours a week or more. Is this expensive? What are the health outcomes? The Times story states that “Hawaii’s health insurance premiums are nearly tied with North Dakota for the lowest in the country and Medicare costs per beneficiary are the nation’s lowest”…and “Hawaii residents live longer than people in the rest of the country”. According to the story, the doctors, hospitals, insurance companies and most importantly the citizens of Hawaii all support this kind of insurance coverage.

In the last fifty years the United States has built a series of modern networks that are essential to our economy and our quality of life – our power grid, phone system, water systems, interstate highways and the internet. But with health coverage we are stuck in the 1940’s. We have the equivalent of scattered wells, individual generators, and county roads but no health coverage infrastructures we can rely on---no system for making sure that all people have health coverage.

As US Senator Olympia Snowe said so eloquently two weeks ago when she cast her vote in the Senate Finance Committee mark up: “When history calls – history calls!” Now is the time for Congress to find an American solution for reforming the US health system. States like Hawaii give us hope that we can find a health solution that guarantees quality health care as a “right’ for all rather than a “privilege” for some of us.

Congratulations WIC!

2009-10-05T12:19:00.002-05:00

Something wonderful happened in KC last week and very few people noticed. This change will positively affect the lives and health outcomes of thousands of residents.

Last week the KCMO Health Department in partnership with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the most comprehensive change in more than thirty years to the WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) program.

Under the new rules:
- WIC clients can purchase whole grains and fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables

- Beginning at 6 months of age, all infants receive infant fruits and vegetables, while fully breastfed infants also receive infant meats.

- Juice is eliminated for infants

- Canned beans are offered as an alternative to milk, with medical documentation

- The amount of infant formula is reduced for partially breastfed and older infants

- Increases in the amount of food are provided to mothers who breastfeed their babies full time to better promote and support the establishment of successful long-term breastfeeding.

State health officials believe breastfeeding is the healthiest option for both babies and moms. The state WIC director Lyn Konstant says “breast milk contains all the nutrients a baby needs for the first six months and reduces the risk of allergies, diabetes and certain childhood cancers. Babies who are breastfed have lower rates of obesity as they grow older. Breastfeeding also helps a new mother lose the weight she gained during pregnancy.”

To learn more about the WIC program to determine if you qualify please go to the state WIC web site: http://www.dhss.mo.gov/wic For more information on local WIC clinic hours please call 816-513-6360 or visit the KCMO Health Department web site: http://www.kcmo.org/health

Health Care - A Moral Obligation

2009-09-22T13:28:00.000-05:00

The health care debate is getting very interesting if you are a social scientist, a researcher, reporter, or political pundit trying to figure out who has the most influence in Congress. For the rest of us who are looking to our elected officials in Washington to fix our current broken health system…these are scary times.

For those of us who currently have good paying jobs and who are lucky enough to have access to quality health care coverage, this debate may not seem too important. But ask the folks who recently lost their jobs and now regularly visit Harvesters to obtain free food to give you input on the importance of what is happening in Congress. Thousands of college educated, experienced and loyal employees of big and small businesses who have recently lost their jobs and their health insurance are now going to Harvesters or a local free food kitchen in the area to obtain food. Many of these families with pre-existing health conditions may never be able to purchase health insurance again. Losing most of their assets and declaring bankruptcy is clearly in their future if one member of the family becomes seriously ill.

While as Americans we currently spend more on health care than any other county by a very large margin, no other citizens in any other industrialized country in the world has to worry about having access to health care. Providing affordable health coverage for every citizen is a moral obligation that every industrialized country in the world has found a way to implement…except America. Now is our time to fix this… contact your elected officials in Washington, DC and let them know that all Americans deserve affordable, quality health care.

Remembering September 11th

2009-09-10T22:22:00.002-05:00

The day of September 11, 2001 will unquestionably be one of the most remembered days in the history of our country. On the day of the attack, I had one daughter working in New York City and one daughter going to college in Washington, DC. It took us several hours after the attack to reach both daughters to make sure they were OK. Later that week my wife and I drove our van to Washington, DC and New York City to see our children and to observe history.

I will never forget the quiet of New York City. There were no taxi cabs on the streets. No one was in a hurry. People were simply taking time to care for others. We went down to ground zero and while the smell and sight of this enormous tragedy was overwhelming, it was heartwarming to see how fire fighters and other rescue personnel were treated and revered. As trucks carrying very large steel beams that were twisted like pretzels drove by, people stood and cheered.

In Washington, DC large US military fighter jets were flying over the city nonstop and people were looking to the sky to see if another attack was in process. Tears, hugs and spontaneous tenderness and compassion were all around. The amount of donated food, water and clothing donated in both cities was inspiring to see.
While these were difficult days for our country, I remember how proud I felt that people put aside their differences that sometimes keep us apart and came together to celebrate the values we share and the compassion we have for each other.

RIP Senator Kennedy

2009-08-27T13:59:00.000-05:00

There is a small cafeteria right off the floor of the US Senate where only Senators and their guests are allowed to eat. In 1974 former U.S. Senator Tom Eagleton took me there on my first day of new staff orientation. Sitting mostly by themselves, ignoring each other while reading newspapers or simply enjoying “down time” sat U.S. Senators Jacob Javitz, Ed Brooke, Frank Church, Ed Muskie, Birch Bayh, Hubert Humphrey, Gaylord Nelson, Barry Goldwater, Alan Cranston, Walter Mondale, Robert Byrd, Bob Dole and Ted Kennedy.

Sen. Kennedy was sitting at the table next to ours minding his own business. Suddenly, he jumped out of his chair to greet five young boys who had just entered the restaurant. The Senator was smiling, shaking hands and beckoning for a Senate photographer. Soon the photographer arrived and each Senator took a picture with and received an autograph from these young boys. I did not immediately recognize these young boys until Senator Kennedy introduced us to the Jackson Five.

As we mourn the passing of Senator Kennedy, I will remember this silly incident where Senator Kennedy became the “adoring fan” of a group of young entertainers. Most of his life Senator Kennedy was the person who the public asked for photos with and sign autographs. I was fortunate to see a quick glimpse of a different side of this likeable and powerful public servant.

Rest in Peace Senator Kennedy! We will miss your leadership. One can only hope that Congress will soon agree on the health reform provisions that you so diligently fought for throughout your distinguished career, and hopefully when that day comes, it will cause you to smile in heaven!

America Deserves Open, Honest and Safe Debate on Health Care Reform

2009-08-18T11:46:00.000-05:00

Most citizens are forming opinions on health reform based on how the current health system currently affects them. If they have never been turned down for coverage because of pre-existing conditions, if their health insurance is provided by their employer at a reasonable cost, or if their insurance premiums and co-pays have not increased substantially in the last few years, they may not see the urgency of health reform in America.

However, if they are one of the millions of Americans who have not had good experiences with the current health system, reforming our current health system is of absolute necessity. This clearly applies to both those folks who have access to health insurance and those who are uninsured.

Those opposed to health reform acknowledge some of our current problems but say that the “new system” -- whatever it is -- will be worse. They are playing on our fears of trusting government to provide programs/services that are yet to be fully defined. They are suggesting that whatever health reform plan is passed by Congress will bankrupt America.

I am glad these questions are being asked because America deserves an open, honest debate on this important issue. What America does not need are the dishonest and misleading comments and radio/TV ads and the unruly and rude people who are attending the open forums. Clearly politicians need to be asked tough questions and there will never be complete agreement with the answers. That is what makes our democracy strong. However, physical threats, yelling, damaging property, name calling, etc. is not useful and productive as we continue the public discourse on trying to determine how or if we should reform our current health system. We are better than this!

Lessons from a Legend

2009-07-30T20:52:00.001-05:00

On August 1, 1993 Mr. K (Ewing Kauffman) died. It is so hard to believe he passed away 16 years ago. I still go by Kauffman Gardens and pay my respect to him on a regular basis…that’s the least I can do for a man who has given me and our community so much. I was privileged to work with Mr. K for about two years at the Kauffman Foundation. In those two years I learned so much.

Here are some of the comments I remember Mr. K saying:

• Treat others as you would like to be treated.
• Pour cold water warmly
• If you give kids hope for the future and let them know that someone cares for them, you’ll be surprised at what they can achieve
• You must listen a lot…you learn more from listening than talking
• You owe more to society than just making a profit
• If you give people responsibility, you must give them authority…permit them to make a mistake in order for them to develop as leaders
• The more intelligent you are, the more you get input from others
• Above all, it’s a people factor that will be the secret of your success
• Once a person has food, clothing and shelter, the most motivating force in the world is appreciation.

Mr. K was a very wise man. He walked his talk and he was a mentor to many people. He was a common man who was always striving for uncommon results – in business, sports and philanthropy. I count myself very fortunate to have met and worked with this outstanding leader.

Message to Washington D.C. - Set Aside Politics as Usual and Find Health Care Solution

2009-07-20T09:58:00.001-05:00

A group of foundation leaders who fund programs in Kansas recently met with Gov. Mark Parkinson. In my opinion, Gov. Parkinson is a hard working, compassionate and honorable person. I am so impressed that he looks at issues without being overly concerned about the politics of the issues. He simply is trying to do what he thinks is right. It is so refreshing to see a politician with this kind of integrity.

Gosh, I wish he was in Washington DC during the debate on health reform. Democrats in the House are not consulting with Republicans in drafting legislation. House Republicans are for the most part simply opposed to whatever Democrats propose. It is so disappointing to see elected officials act in a way that is so immature and dangerous to our future. Both sides are already talking about the 2010 election and how they will use the upcoming health care votes to raise money. Shouldn’t elected officials from both political parties be working together to see how a new health bill can be drafted to provide quality and affordable health insurance to all Americans?

I was proud to work on the staff of Senator Tom Eagleton in Washington DC for over seven years. He, like Gov. Parkinson, was a person of integrity who always voted his conscious and worked with people on all sides of an issue to reach a common solution. Sen. Eagleton and Sen. John Danforth represented Missouri in the U.S. Senate and it was very common to see these two leaders from different political parties often consulting with each other trying to determine what was best for the state of Missouri and for our country.

It seems to me that the current political culture in Washington D.C. is not helpful to obtaining good public policy.

Small Businesses Need to Be Heard in Health Care Debate

2009-07-06T14:55:00.003-05:00

My dad was a small business person who owned, bought and sold several small businesses over the years. He loved being his own boss and having the freedom to run his company just like he wanted to.

As a small business owner, he valued treating the folks he worked with compassion and he always provided them with health and retirement benefits. My dad never had a lot of rules or policies but he did expect his employees to work hard and to treat the customers with respect and dignity. When my dad died many of his employees told me heartwarming stories about how he treated them.

In today’s world I wonder if my dad would have been able to provide health care and other benefits to his employees. Small business folks are the back bone of the American economy and they are the economic engine that drives our region. In the current economic environment, small businesses are being stretched to their limit. Owners of small businesses want to do right thing for their employees but the rising cost of health care is making it very difficult for them to provide quality health care coverage at an affordable cost.

That is why small business groups from around the country are actively involved in the health policy debate that is taking place in Washington, DC. They realize our current health care system is broken. Policy makers at the federal and state level need to listen to small business folks because they often times have very different solutions to our current health care situation than do large corporations, insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

Let's Focus Reform Talks on Quality Health Care, Not Profit Margins

2009-06-18T10:50:00.002-05:00

Health reform discussion and legislation is on a fast track in Washington, DC. All the players say we must provide quality health insurance to the 47 million uninsured. Everyone agrees on this and this is a huge step forward since the Clinton days.

How we structure the new health plan and who pays for it is still in question. It is interesting to hear the various interest groups --insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, medical equipment providers, doctors/dentists, etc. – to opine about the importance of protecting the current profit margin of their industry. It seems that the discussion in Washington is about how we can reform health care and still protect the profit margins of the folks who are currently making big bucks.

It seems to me that we should be more focused on how we can provide quality health and health care for all Americans at a cost taxpayers can afford. As a nation we already pay more for our health care than any other industrialized county in the world. Clearly the insurance, pharmaceutical, medical equipments, hospitals, doctors/ dentist are going to have to change how they do business and how they charge for their services. The federal government is going to have to incentivize quality rather than quantity and prevention needs to be given an increased amount of attention and funding.

The next few months may be historic in our nation’s history as Congress attempts to make quality health and health care more accessible to all Americans. Please let your federal elected officials know how you feel about various reform measures that are currently being discussed.

Happiness Is...

2009-06-05T13:16:00.001-05:00

Knee replacement surgery is not for the faint of heart. It has been a little over two weeks since my wife had her surgery and she is getting better every day. Thank you to the many folks who told us stories about others who successfully completed this procedure. Also, thanks to those of you who kept us in your thoughts and prayers.

A few days ago my wife had her staples removed and she can now drive to her rehab appointments. We are told that it will take many more weeks before is fully recovered, but at least we are starting to see progress.

This afternoon I started to get back into the work routine. It was so hard to be away from the Foundation for the last two weeks and now that I am back to work I have called my wife a few times to make sure she can handle the rehab workouts without me. In reality, things are going very well both at the Foundation and at home – without much assistance from me.

It is a privilege to work for an inspiring board and with dedicated and talented associates. Sometimes it takes being away from the work that you find meaningful and fulfilling to realize how much you really love it.

One of Mr. K’s associates at Marion Laboratories --Jim McGraw -- once told me that happiness is:

Someone to love
Work to be done
Something to look forward to

By this definition, I am happy person!

From President/CEO to Caregiver

2009-05-17T22:51:00.001-05:00

I will be away from the foundation for a week to ten days helping my wife who is undergoing knee replacement surgery. My wife is a nurse practitioner and she always takes care of everyone in the family who needs medical attention –so now it is her turn to be the patient. My job is to be the “rehab assistant” once she returns home from the hospital.

I admit that I am biased, but my wife is an outstanding nurse practitioner. She has a feel for both the “art and science of medicine”. She has obtained several nursing degrees along the way and now teaches in the graduate nursing program at UMKC. She can ask you two or three questions and pretty soon she has figured out a diagnosis. More importantly, she is able to “pour cold water warmly” when she must tell someone that they have been diagnosed with a life changing disease.

My wife has been a nurse for over 35 years and she still consistently shows empathy and compassion to her patients. Every week in seems that a former or current patient stops her in the grocery store to thank her for her kindness and nursing expertise.

For the next several days she will not be the nurse but the patient – so please keep my wife in your prayers since she will be stuck with an untrained and unskilled caregiver at her bedside. But hopefully during the difficult times of rehab when pain causes emotions to be on edge she will know that her caregiver has been her best friend for over 34 years and counting --- I hope!

Let's Stop Playing Partisan Politics

2009-05-04T10:11:00.001-05:00

In Missouri and Kansas the state legislatures are winding up their legislative sessions.

In Kansas, hopefully Governor Mark Parkinson will bring a fresh approach to the partisan discussion that has taken place the last few months. Governor Parkinson is one of the finest people public servants I have met… he is a leader with both substance and common sense values. I am hopeful he can get legislators focused on solving issues rather than playing politics.

In Missouri, this year the general assembly has been as mean spirited and full of personal attacks against members as I have ever seen it. This “attack strategy” has taken place within members of the same political party and of course between political parties. It is a shame. Maybe in the last two weeks cooler heads will provide leadership so quality health care can be provided to more uninsured Missourians.

Somehow, politicians in our two states have come to the conclusion that mean spirited / attack politics is the primary way to conduct business. They are wrong. Whatever happened to transparent policy discussion? Most major decisions will not be made on the House or Senate floor. Rather, the party caucuses (held behind closed doors) are where the action is and the decision reached in the caucuses determine the outcome of what happens during floor discussion.

People are losing confidence in government officials. Our democracy demands a higher standard of conduct from our leaders. There are too many important issues that need solutions than to waist so much time on partisan politics.

Nonprofits - Are You Listening??

2009-04-18T16:00:00.001-05:00

I used to work in the for-profit sector as a banker and as a publisher of a business newspaper. It was customary for us to regularly conduct focus groups or surveys of our customers to find out what they were thinking about our product or services. Based upon this input, we would redesign our products to offer improved services to our customers.

In my opinion, the nonprofit world does not seek input from our clients often enough. We assume we know what is best for them. Based upon our assumptions, work experience and academic training we design programs that hopefully can be funded that meet the needs of our clients.

Two weeks ago HCF held a retreat where we invited uninsured and undeserved individuals to join board members and community leaders to participate in discussions about the future direction of this foundation. With all due respect to everyone who attended, the most insightful comments that I heard came from the consumers. This should not be surprising to me, but it was.

At the end of our day long retreat several consumers thanked me for inviting them to our board retreat and one very articulate and proud lady -- with a tear in her eye --told me that this is the first time she has ever been asked about what could be done to improve her health delivery system. She was touched with how she was treated -- not judged -- and how respectful the rest of the conference participants were to her.

It is amazing how much we can learn if we simply listen to our clients.

Every Child Deserve Unconditional Love

2009-04-07T10:16:00.000-05:00

The month of April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This is an issue that is very special to me. Early in my life I worked at Butterfield Youth Services in Marshall, Mo. and I saw firsthand the results that physical, emotional and sexual abuse caused young children. I saw a young boy with burn marks all over his body given to him by his drunken mother.

Later in life I was privileged to serve as the Director of the Missouri Department of Social Services and in this role I was responsible for the care and custody of over 10,000 children who were in foster care. Most of these children had been subject to some form of child abuse but they all had the potential for a bright future. These children simply need what many of us take for granted --- someone to love them unconditionally. If you have time in your life I encourage you to contact a local child welfare agency or the state Department of Social Services and volunteer to spend time with these young people or become a foster parent or adoptive parent. I assure you that this experience will change your life.

Even in the best of times the pressures of being a parent can be overwhelming. So in these difficult financial times when so many people are out of work and without health insurance, we must be more diligent than ever to make sure that all children are safe from abuse or neglect. If you have reason to believe that a child is not safe, you have the responsibility to call the child abuse hotline. In Missouri the number is: 800-392-3738; in Kansas the number is 800-922-5330

Every child deserves to be loved unconditionally by someone…is that someone you?

Rest in Peace

2009-03-25T21:24:00.000-05:00

In the last few weeks two people who have had an important impact on my life passed away—Mike Russell and Gurnie Gunter.

Mike Russell was the co-founder of the Kansas City Business Journal. For almost six years I had the privilege of working for this newspaper. Mike was an entrepreneur and loved life in the fast lane. He was always looking for the next business deal. He loved start ups and especially liked to take on projects that someone said could not be done. It was the challenge to do something spectacular which drove him, but that was not what endeared him to those of us fortunate enough to work with him. No matter how busy he was, he always had time for what was most important to him – his friends and family, especially his beautiful wife Carol.

Gurnie Gunter was a founding HCF board member and our second board chair. Gurnie was a strong leader who was firm, fair and direct. He was a quiet man who did not speak much. But when he did – people listened because his comments were always meaningful. Gurnie was a tall man with a big smile and a very firm handshake. He was a religious man and lead by example. His many years of military experienced caused him to be organized, disciplined and to respect the chain of command. He was always prepared for meetings and followed the agenda with precision. He valued community service and was devoted to his wife Margaret for over 55 years.

These two men had different personalities and work habits. Both men had a great sense of humor and were not afraid show emotion. Both were decision makers and had the ability to inspire and challenge people to do their very best. They treated others the way they wanted to be treated. I am so fortunate that my path through life included the opportunity to work alongside these two outstanding individuals.

Mike and Gurnie --- rest in peace! You will be missed.