|
Journal Star: SCHIP needs Nebraska delegation
The four Republicans in Nebraska’s congressional
delegation need to return to our state’s fine tradition of responsible,
pragmatic problem-solving when it comes to the controversial issue of providing
health care for children.
That means standing up against President Bush’s
veto of legislation that would have expanded the successful State Children’s
Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Bush has chosen this issue to draw a line in
the sand against the program on the basis of ideology, saying, “I believe in
private medicine, not the federal government running the health care system.”
Nebraskans should take a cue from fellow Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of
Iowa, who said, “The bill is not a government takeover of health care. The bill
is not socialized medicine. Screaming ‘socialized medicine’ during a health care
debate is like shouting ‘fire’ in a crowded theater. It is intended to cause
hysteria that diverts people from looking at the facts. To those of you who make
such outlandish accusations, I say, go shout ‘fire’ somewhere else. Serious
people are trying to get real work done. Now’s the time to get this done.”
Read the full editorial or read a related
article
by Sen. Ben Nelson.
— Lincoln Journal Star, October
7, 2007.
UNMC rural health recruitment program proves successful
A 15-year study of the University of Nebraska
Medical Center’s Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP) released this month
indicates that 57 percent of graduates are practicing in Nebraska rural
communities and 10 percent are practicing in rural communities in other states.
The RHOP program is a collaboration between Chadron State College, Wayne State
College and UNMC.
Read
more.
Rural health safety net funding update
Acting Agriculture Secretary Conner announced the
selection of 78 grant recipients for Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants
totaling $22.3 million in 31 states. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development's mission is to increase
economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents. Rural
Development has invested more than $76.8 billion since 2001 for equity and
technical assistance to finance and foster growth in home ownership, business
development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. More than 1.5
million jobs have been created or saved through these investments. Nebraska
organizations receiving grants include: Faith Regional Health Services $149,435;
Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation $116,952; Educational Service Unit No. 17
$500,000; and Educational Service Unit No. 8 $474,424. For more information
visit the USDA's Web site.
— Nebraska Rural Health Association, E-News,
October, 2007.
House panel
approves mental health parity measure
(CQ Today) – A House subcommittee approved a
mental health coverage parity bill Wednesday, advancing it to consideration
before the full Energy and Commerce panel. Before the Health Subcommittee
approved the measure (HR 1424) by voice vote, Democrats defeated several
Republican amendments that would have made the bill more like legislation (S
558) the Senate passed last month. Both bills would require health insurers that
offer mental health benefits as part of an insurance plan to make them equal to
traditional medical and surgical benefits. The Senate bill, which has the
support of business and industry, is less prescriptive in what it would require
insurers to cover. The House legislation goes further, with a broader definition
of what constitutes mental illness. It also has an earlier implementation
requirement.
— Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Daily Update,
October 11, 2007.
Study examines latest changes in health insurance coverage
The proportion of non-elderly Americans with
health insurance declined to 82.1 percent in 2006, according to a new
study of Census Bureau data by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
Based on the Bureau’s March 2007 Current Population Survey, 62.2 percent of U.S.
residents under age 65 had employment-based health benefits last year, while
Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) covered 13.4
percent. “It appears that 2005 might be the beginning of a new trend, where the
erosion in employment-based coverage is not being offset by expansions in public
programs,” the report concludes. Last year, nearly two-thirds of uninsured
workers were self-employed or working in private-sector firms with fewer than
100 employees, the study notes. One-third of the uninsured were in families
earning less than $20,000 a year.
— AHA News Now, October 8, 2007.
Many U.S. Hispanics struggle with health care system
Geographic locale and language weigh heavily on
U.S. Hispanics' ability to get good health care, and many have difficulty
navigating the health care system, according to a study.
Read the full article.
— Washington Post, Oct 10, 2007.
Good Samaritan Hospital and Alegent Health commemorate Patient-Centered Care
Awareness Month
Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney and Alegent
Health in Omaha are joining other hospitals nationwide in commemorating the
first annual Patient-Centered Care Awareness Month this October. The awareness
building campaign will pay tribute to hospitals that are complementing their
clinical capabilities with a patient-centered approach to care that prioritizes
patient comfort, dignity, empowerment and well-being. Recognizing statewide
efforts to foster a more patient-centered health care experience, Governor Dave
Heineman signed a proclamation this morning commemorating Patient-Centered Care
Awareness Month in Nebraska and acknowledging Good Samaritan Hospital and
Alegent Health’s commitment to practicing patient-centered care.
“While we are delighted to participate in
Patient-Centered Care Awareness Month this October, in reality, at Good
Samaritan Hospital, every month is patient-centered care month,” said Carol
Wahl, vice president of patient services at Good Samaritan Hospital. “We are
routinely considering ways to enhance everyday interactions with patients,
clinical processes, and our physical environment to ensure that our patients
feel well cared for, informed, and empowered to take charge of their own health
and wellness.”
Read
more.
Immanuel Medical Center marks 120 years of healing
OMAHA, Neb. – From its humble beginnings in
1887, Immanuel Medical Center has been a beacon of hope and place of healing for
the body, mind and spirit of every person in its care for patients living in
north and northwest Omaha and surrounding areas. Today, Immanuel Medical Center
is one of Alegent Health’s flagship medical centers and is committed to
remaining a vital asset to the community for many years to come. This is
demonstrated through Alegent Health’s recent announcement of a major renovation
and expansion project.
The Alegent Health family invited the community
to mark 120 years of the Immanuel Healing Experience by attending the Service of
Celebration this Wednesday at the Holling Center on the hospital’s campus.
Bishop David deFreese of the Nebraska Synod,
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, delivered the message and benediction at
the celebration.
Read
more.
Economic
development grant will benefit Beatrice hospital
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
announced on Sept. 26 that Norris Public Power District received a $300,000
grant through the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. Norris was
one of 30 recipients resulting in $16.6 million in loans and grants that were
awarded. The grant will assist the Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center
in the addition of an in-house MRI scanner.
Norris will establish a revolving loan fund to
promote rural economic development and to assist other eligible recipients after
the hospital repays the loan. The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant
Program provides zero-interest loans and grants to Rural Development utility
program borrowers, which in turn re-lend the money at zero interest to local
entities to promote economic development. Andrea Schafer, manager of public
relations and economic development, stated “Norris is among an elite group of
recipients and is extremely excited to receive the grant. Norris will now be
able to play a bigger role in rural economic development and we look forward to
assisting other recipients in the future.”
— Norris Public Power News Release, September,
2007.
FAMC offers
safe "trick-or-treating" tips
FREMONT, Neb. – Fremont Area Medical
Center (FAMC) Emergency Department physicians hope to see few trick-or-treaters
due to Halloween hazards. “We’re not too worried about minor stomach aches caused
by eating too much candy,” says Dr. Curtis Batten, FAMC emergency physician,
“but we do see some kids with eye injuries from sharp objects and injuries from
incidents with motor vehicles.” To ensure a safer Halloween, click to read
Batten's
suggestions.
NPI required in January on Medicare fee-for-service claims
Beginning Jan. 1, the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) will require hospitals and other health care providers
to use a National Provider Identifier (NPI) when they bill Medicare fiscal
intermediaries and Medicare Administrative Contractors, the agency said in a
notice this week. Claims that contain only a legacy provider identifier in their
primary fields will be returned as "unprocessable," the agency said. CMS said it
was taking the “next step towards full implementation of the NPI” because the
vast majority of institutional providers already include the NPI on their
Medicare claims. Providers may include both an NPI and legacy identifier in the
primary fields through April 2008. However, CMS recommends they submit at least
some claims with only an NPI to assure their claims will process successfully
when an NPI alone is required, beginning May 1, 2008.
— AHA News Now, October 5, 2007.
New Stark
regulations and physician recruiting
In September of this year the Center for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released final regulations implementing
Phase III of the Stark Law. These regulations include provisions pertaining to
physician recruiting arrangements.
In particular, they amend previous Stark
physician recruiting regulations that were released in 2004. One of the 2004
regulations stipulated that a hospital funding recruitment for an existing
medical group could only pay for “additional incremental expenses” that accrue
to the group because of the new physician. It could not pay for a pro-rated
share of the group’s fixed overhead expenses such as office rent, equipment, or
personnel, unless such expenses were a direct result of the new physician
joining the group.
Read more.
— Merritt, Hawkins & Associates, October 9,
2007.
National effort to measure and report on quality and cost
unveiled
A broad-based group of health care
organizations and health quality experts kicked off a national effort to help
improve the quality of U.S. health care. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
(RWJF) will provide nearly $16 million in grants to develop and test a single
national approach to bring consistency to efforts to measure and report
information on the quality and cost of care that patients receive. The project
will combine data from many different national health plans to provide a broader
picture of physicians' care across their entire practices.
Read more.
— Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, October 3,
2007.
Hospital employment climbs 0.33 percent in September
Employment at the nation's hospitals rose 0.33
percent in September to a seasonally adjusted 4,565,400 people, the Bureau of
Labor Statistics reported today. That's 14,800 more than in August and 113,700
more than a year ago. Without seasonal adjustment, which removes the effect of
fluctuations due to seasonal events, those numbers show hospitals employed
4,566,000 people in September—5,000 more than in August and 114,900 more than a
year ago. The nation's overall unemployment rate rose by one-tenth of a
percentage point in September to 4.7 percent.
— AHA News Now, October 5, 2007.
Program
helps war vets find health care jobs
Among the many challenges facing health care
today, staffing shortages top the list. A new organization hopes to ease the
suffering through simple matchmaking. Hire Heroes, a group formed by the Health
Careers Foundation, aims to pair wounded veterans with health care organizations
desperately in need of employees. Program organizers got the idea after seeing
soldiers survive wounds that would have been critical or fatal in past wars
thanks to significant medical advances.
Read more.
— Amy Lillard, Hospitals and Health Networks.
Web site offers pandemic planning resources
A new Web site can help community and state
public health planners prepare for a flu pandemic.
PandemicPractices.org brings together more than 130 peer-reviewed practices
from four countries, 22 states and 33 counties. Compiled by the Center for
Infectious Disease Research & Policy and the Pew Center on the States, the site
highlights approaches that communities have developed to address three key
areas: altering standards of clinical care, communicating effectively about
pandemic flu and delaying and diminishing the impact of a pandemic. Among other
topics, the searchable database includes practices that showcase how to manage
scarce resources during a pandemic, share core messages in multiple languages,
safeguard vulnerable populations, provide medical care when hospitals and
clinics are overwhelmed, teach people to care for ill family members at home and
engage schools to reduce the spread of illness.
— AHA News Now, October 8, 2007.
Go Local Nebraska Web site links consumers to quality health
information
Go Local Nebraska (http://medlineplus.gov/nebraska)
is a cooperative initiative among the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the
McGoogan Library of Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
(UNMC), and Nebraska’s public libraries to connect Nebraskans to vital health
resources. Go Local Nebraska includes Web sites, contact information and service
descriptions for hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, support groups and many
other health resources.
A unique feature of Go Local Nebraska is its
cooperation with the nationally recognized Consumer Health Information Resource
Service (CHIRS), which has existed for more than 20 years. This free service,
provided by medical librarians from the UNMC McGoogan Library of Medicine,
allows Nebraskans to request health-related information about any health
condition or concern. Medical librarians research the condition and provide a
tailored package of information that may include: journal articles, book
chapters, pamphlets and Web resources. This service is linked from within Go
Local Nebraska, but can also be accessed at
http://www.unmc.edu/library/consumer. For more information, visit the Go
Local Nebraska Web site at
http://medlineplus.gov/nebraska.
Read the full article.
NHA 2007 Annual Convention and Trade Show
October 31-November 2, 2007 – Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, Lincoln, NE
"Pathways: Navigating the Nature of Health Care." The NHA's Annual Convention is
Nebraska's largest gathering of health care professionals.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Interpreting Specialty Workshop
October 15, 17, 22 and 24 – Omaha, NE
Center for Transcultural Learning
National Framework and Preferred Practices for Quality Palliative Care: Raising
the Bar
October 16, 2007 – Audioconference
Sponsored by the Center to Advance Palliative Care
York General Health Care Services Breast Cancer Survivor Night Out
October 16, 2007 – York General Hospital
Fall Workers' Compensation Seminar
October 17, 2007 – Great Plains Regional Medical Center, North Platte, NE
October 18, 2007 – Farm Bureau Office, Lincoln, NE
NHA Critical Access Hospital Conference on Quality
October 18, 2007 – Holiday Inn & Convention Center, Kearney, NE
For more information contact Monica Seeland, NHA vice president of quality
initiatives, at 402/742-8152 or
mseeland@nhanet.org.
Clinical Spanish Communication
October 18, 2007 – Omaha, NE
For clinical or administrative health care professionals with intermediate level
Spanish speaking skills. Sponsored by the Center for Transcultural Learning.
York General Health Care Services Diabetes Fair
November 1, 2007 – York Medical Clinic
Jefferson Health
Care Foundation Holiday Dazzle
November 9, 2007
Visit the
Events page on the NHA Web site for more information on any of the events.
If you have an event you would like listed on the NHA Web site, submit it to
Heather Bullock, marketing and events coordinator, at
hbullock@nhanet.org.
NHA Newslink is published by the Nebraska
Hospital Association, 3255 Salt Creek Circle, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68504-4761.
Phone 402/742-8140, Fax 402/742-8191. Contact Christy Rasmussen, director of
communications, at 402/742-8151, or email,
crasmussen@nhanet.org.
Click here to
Subscribe to Newslink
Click here
to Unsubscribe to Newslink
Click here to change your email address
or call Heather Bullock at 402/742-8148.
Please include the individual's name, title and email address.
Back To Main
|
