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Advocate for a smoke-free Nebraska. Come to "Smoke-free Lobby Day" on January
22, 2008.
Click here
to register.
2008 legislative session begins today
Today marks the beginning of the 2008 session of the Nebraska Legislature. This
year’s short session (60 legislative days) will see hundreds of carryover bills
from the 2007 session of the 100th Legislature. In addition, hundreds of new
bills are expected to be introduced in the session’s first 10 legislative days.
NHA advocacy tools
For a summary, analysis and news of legislation affecting health care,
subscribe to the NHA's weekly Rotunda Review newsletter by emailing
Vicky Pfeiffer at vpfeiffer@nhanet.org.
NHA utilizes an online advocacy tool – VoterVoice – to help members
quickly and easily communicate with government officials about important
health issues. To join the NHA advocacy team and sign up for VoterVoice
advocacy alerts
click here.
NHA offers an online summary of legislation affecting health care and
each legislative bill's status on the
NHA Web site.
Eight things you should know about the new legislative session
(Lincoln Journal Star) – Here are eight things you should know as senators
begin the 2008 legislative session today:1. Short session. This is the short session of the two-year cycle — just 60 days
of work expected to end April 17. This is also the second year of the lawmaking
cycle, so the 307 bills that weren’t killed or passed last year are still
hanging around.
2. Chamber’s last year. Unless he pulls a term-limit rabbit out of his hat, this
is Sen. Ernie Chamber’s last session.
3. Lame-duck senators. Another 14 senators are also being kicked out at the end
of 2008 by term limits. If the behavior of term-limited senators two years ago
is a guide, many will sponsor fewer bills than in the past. And some will be
more likely to vote their conscience, rather than cater to constituent
majorities.
4. New face. The Legislature has one new senator, Scott Lautenbaugh, an Omaha
attorney and former Douglas County Election Commissioner appointed to fill Mick
Mines’ seat.
5. Early controversy. Expect debate early on a statewide smoking ban; the safe
haven bill that would allow women to legally abandon newborns in hospitals; and
an attempt to repeal the motorcycle helmet law. Senators may also tackle a bill
allowing the state to oversee cell phone complaints.
6. On the horizon. Senators are also expected to tackle half a dozen other
issues during the session, including the death penalty; roads funding; water
issues; legislative redistricting; and a cloning ban.
7. Spending money. Gov. Heineman will unveil his budget priorities for the $3.4
billion general fund annual budget Jan. 15. Senators will merely tinker with the
budget this year, the second of the two-year cycle. And they’ll argue over how
much of the $542 million cash reserve to save for the next downturn and how much
to spend.
8. Keeping up. Watch legislative debate weekdays on
NET2.
Lawmakers to push state smoking ban without opt out
OMAHA — A bill to ban smoking statewide could get enough support this year to
pass without the hedging of a local opt-out provision, the only way its primary
backer wants to see the bill go through.
“It’s our intention to put all our eggs in one basket,” said Sen. Joel Johnson
of Kearney, a retired surgeon who says banning smoking is the easiest thing the
Legislature can do to improve the state’s health.Johnson said that if the bill doesn’t pass, organizations that still support the
ban could then start petition drives to take the issue to voters. Read the full
article in the
Lincoln Journal Star.
— Oskar Garcia, The Associated Press, January 2, 2008.
Majority of Neb. senators would support law to ban abortions
if Roe is
overturned, poll finds
A majority of Nebraska state senators would support an abortion-related "trigger
law" to ban the procedure in the state if the U.S. Supreme Court were to
overturn Roe v. Wade, according to an annual poll conducted by the Associated
Press, the AP/NTV reports. According to the Associated Press,
several states have adopted or proposed trigger laws -- either automatically
prohibiting abortion or protecting it.Asked if they would support a trigger law that would ban the procedure if Roe is
overturned, 21 state senators said they would support it; six said they would
not. Three senators said they would support a measure that would protect
abortion rights if Roe is overturned. In addition, three senators said they were
not sure, three gave no selection and 12 did not participate in the survey, the
Associated Press reports.
Read the full
article.
— Medical News Today, January 4, 2008.
Americans spending more of income for health coverage
The financial burden of health care increased for American families from
2001-2004 due to rising out-of-pocket costs and stagnant incomes, according to a
new study by the Center for
Studying Health System Change. Average out-of-pocket spending on health care
rose more than 16 percent over the three-year period, while average family incomes were
largely unchanged after accounting for inflation, based on an analysis of the
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
The overall share of families spending more than 10 percent of their income on health
care rose 1.8 percentage points over the period to 17.7 percent, or 45.4 million
individuals. Low-income families with private health coverage and families with
non-group private coverage were more likely to spend more than 10 percent of their
income on health care.
— AHA News Now, January 8, 2008.
U.S. lags other countries in decline of preventable deaths
Deaths from certain preventable conditions fell an average 16 percent between 1997-98
and 2002-03 in 18 industrialized countries, but only four percent in the U.S., according
to a study reported today in Health Affairs. The
study
used data from the World Health Organization to compute deaths from conditions
considered amenable to health care, such as treatable cancers, diabetes and
cardiovascular disease. The authors estimate that the U.S. might have averted up
to 101,000 deaths in 2002 had it improved as much as the top-ranked countries:
France, Japan and Australia. They add that it is “difficult to disregard the
observation that the slow decline in U.S. amenable mortality has coincided with
an increase in the uninsured population, an issue that is now receiving renewed
attention in several states and among presidential candidates for both parties.”
— AHA News Now, January 8, 2008.
New FAMC program helps obtain free or reduced-cost medications
FREMONT, Neb. – Fremont Area Medical Center (FAMC) announces the launch of a new Medication Assistance
Program (MAP), designed to provide a conduit for patients that require
assistance in paying for their maintenance medications. The program was launched
earlier this month and is located in FAMC’s outpatient clinic area.
The Medication Assistance Program is part of expanded Outpatient Clinical
Pharmacy Services, which are being facilitated by FAMC Pharmacist Ken Saunders,
PharmD, TTS.
“This is the next area of clinical pharmacy practice that pharmacists need to
become more actively involved in,” says Saunders. “We can assist our patients
through the maze of paperwork required to get free or low-cost medication. This
is normally done at the physician’s office, but if we provide this important
service, instead of the physicians and their staff, it frees them up to spend
more quality time with patients.”
Read more.
First total ankle replacement successfully performed at Faith Regional
NORFOLK, Neb. – Vicki Jansen of Norfolk had struggled with arthritis
in her ankle for two years, trying many different treatment options that were
unsuccessful. After contacting Faith Regional Orthopaedic Services, Jansen was
given new hope. She is the first patient to have undergone a total ankle
replacement procedure at Faith Regional Health Services.
The total ankle replacement was successfully performed by Lawrence Rubens, M.D.,
a board certified orthopaedic surgeon at Faith Regional Orthopaedic Services.
Read more.
Children’s Hospital Diabetes Education program receives ADA
recognition
OMAHA, Neb. – The Children’s Diabetes Center at Children’s
Hospital is
receiving national recognition. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has
awarded the program an Education Recognition Certificate for offering high
quality education to children living with diabetes.
“Receiving this recognition is a wonderful honor. Our staff works diligently
every day to provide the best education possible to our patients and families,”
said Kevin Corley, M.D., medical director of the Children’s Diabetes Center and
assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Read
more.
Nebraska health professional Jack Vetter named to Business Hall of Fame
LINCOLN, Neb. – Jack Vetter, founder of Vetter Health Services in Omaha—one of
the nation’s largest senior care networks—will be inducted into the Nebraska
Business Hall of Fame, along with two other business leaders on January 24,
according to the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
NHA President Laura J. Redoutey, FACHE, said, “Mr. Vetter is an exceptional
health care leader and is incredibly deserving of this recognition. It is
gratifying for our health professionals to be acknowledged for their enduring
commitment to caring for Nebraska’s communities, especially in the state's underserved
rural areas.”
Read
more.
CMS issues proposed rule to expand plan choice to medicare beneficiaries with
limited incomes
Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a proposed
regulation that aims to allow more Medicare beneficiaries with limited income
and resources to remain in the Medicare prescription drug plan in which they are
enrolled without having to pay a premium.
Medicare beneficiaries with limited income and resources, and those who are
dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, may qualify for extra help
paying for their Part D premium and cost-sharing through the low-income subsidy
(LIS), provided by Medicare.
Read the full article.
— Medicare News, January 7, 2008.
HQA data preview period to begin Jan. 17
Hospitals participating in the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) can preview their
latest quarterly data and initial HCAHPS survey data beginning Jan. 17 at the
QualityNet Exchange Web site. Meanwhile,
hospitals should consider which staff members should review the HCAHPS data,
such as those who handle patient surveys, communications and marketing staff,
and consumer advocates. The appropriate staff should review all of the data and
report any errors to their
Quality Improvement Organization by Feb. 15. HCAHPS is the new national
standard for collecting and publicly reporting information on patient
experiences with inpatient care. The first data from HCAHPS will be reported on
the "Hospital Compare" Web site in March 2008.
— AHA News Now, January 7, 2007.
Gov. Heineman announces award to recognize workplace wellness efforts in
Nebraska
Gov. Dave Heineman announced the creation of a new award to encourage businesses
in Nebraska to recognize the successful efforts of employers who promote
workplace wellness. Companies and organizations with employee wellness programs
are invited to apply for the Governor’s Award of Excellence in Wellness.
“This recognition program is a way to encourage more employers to take
workplaces wellness seriously,” Gov. Heineman said. “Organizations that help
employees lead healthier lives see real benefits in the form of increased
productivity and greater employee satisfaction. The excellence in wellness award
will help identify successful programs that can serve as models for others. By
putting an emphasis on worksite wellness, individual employees can take steps to
become healthier while also helping employers manage healthcare costs.” Read the
full
news release or go to www.nebraska.gov
for more information.
— Office of the Governor news release, January 3, 2008.
Ensuring Compliance: The 30 Patient Safety Practices for Better Health Care Webinar
January 10, 2008
Chargemaster Pricing, Charge Compression and Devices Webinar
January 15, 2008
Smoke-free
Lobby Day
January 22, 2008 – Lincoln, NE
NHPCP Cahaba GBA Hospice
Regulatory Updates Workshop and Legislative Luncheon
January 23, 2008 – Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, Lincoln, NE
Preventing Health Care Associated Infections Webinar
January 29, 2008
Recent Stark II Developments Impacting Hospitals - Reporting and
Phase II Webinar
January 31, 2008
The Joint Commission Medical Staff Standards: 2008 Update Webinar
January 31, 2008
Center for Biopreparedness Education Hospital Incident Command Center Instructor
Training
March 6 -7, 2008 – Embassy Suites, Lincoln, NE
Click here for a list
of upcoming NHA audioconferences and webinars.
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 in Newslink or on the NHA Web site,
submit it to Heather Bullock, marketing and events coordinator, at
hbullock@nhanet.org. Send news items to Christy Rasmussen, director of
communications, at crasmussen@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.
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