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LINCOLN—September Stone, RN, Director of the Long Term Care Workforce Institute of Nebraska, has been selected by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) to serve on its Long Term and Post Acute Care Work Group.
CCHIT is a recognized certification body for electronic health records and their networks. Its 19 all-volunteer work groups, including Long Term and Post Acute Care, will transition the CCHIT’s existing certification programs and develop new paths to certification to satisfy new standards being released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology before Dec. 31, 2009. The Long Term and Post Acute Work Group will ensure that electronic health record technology used in these care settings addresses the health information technology requirements of care by developing criteria that meet the needs of patients. For more information visit
www.nehca.org.
— Nebraska Health Care Association press release, June 18, 2009
CHICAGO—A day after President Barack Obama sought doctor support for his health reform plan, the American Medical Association talked of meeting him at the bargaining table in support of some form of publicly funded health insurance option. Details of the proposed option are expected to be negotiated in the weeks and months ahead, but a key sticking point was whether the politically powerful AMA would agree to support a government-led insurance option for the more than 46 million uninsured Americans.
Read more.
— Chicago Tribune, June 17, 2009
WASHINGTON—Executives of three of the nation's largest health insurers told federal lawmakers in Washington that they would continue canceling medical coverage for some sick policyholders, despite withering criticism from Republican and Democratic members of Congress who decried the practice as unfair and abusive. An investigation by the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations showed that health insurers WellPoint Inc., UnitedHealth Group and Assurant Inc. canceled the coverage of more than 20,000 people, allowing the companies to avoid paying more than $300 million in medical claims over a five-year period.
Read more.
— Los Angeles Times, June 17, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS—Employers who offer health insurance coverage could see a 9 percent cost increase next year, and their workers may face an even bigger hit, according to a report from consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. Costs will rise in part because workers worried about losing their jobs are using their health care more while they still have it, the firm said in the report. The report also said rising unemployment is driving up medical costs.
Read more.
— AP/Yahoo News, June 18, 2009
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has become aware of a scam where perpetrators are sending faxes to physician offices posing as the Medicare carrier or Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). The fax instructs physician staff to respond to a questionnaire to provide an account information update within 48 hours in order to prevent a gap in Medicare payments. The fax may have the CMS logo and/or the contractor logo to enhance the appearance of authenticity.
Medicare FFS providers, including physicians, non-physician practitioners, should be wary of this type of request.
If you receive a request for information in the manner described above, please check with your contractor before submitting any information. Medicare providers should only send information to a Medicare contractor using the address found in the download section of the CMS.gov
Web site found at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNGenInfo/ or
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll .
— CMS Alert, June 18, 2009
OMAHA—Highlighting its continued leadership as a nationally-known health system, Alegent Health
recently hosted U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at Lakeside Hospital. Lakeside is leading Alegent’s integration of health information technology across its nine acute care hospitals, 44 clinics and other sites of service. Secretary Sebelius’ visit to Omaha is part of the Obama Administration’s effort to highlight centers of excellence as it continues to promote national health care reform.
"Secretary Sebelius’ visit is a validation that Alegent Health’s commitment to increasing quality and reforming the delivery of care has placed us among the country’s elite health systems,” said Wayne Sensor, president and CEO of Alegent
Health. “Our continued innovation and the commitment of our staff to excellence
is the reason why we are helping to inform those who are leading national health
care reform.”
Read more.
— Alegent Health press release, June 12, 2009
 OSHKOSH—On June 9, 2009, Artist George Lundeen, saw to the placement of his bronze work in front of Garden County Health Services in Oshkosh.
"Promise of the Prairie" was donated by the Leo and Rosella Jessen Family. The plaque reads: "Dedicated to the farmers and ranchers of the area who work hard along side their wives and families, to build a good life.
The sculptor has made several pieces specifically for Nebraska such as the Players located at the University of Nebraska Field House to commemorate the National Championship Women’s Volleyball team, the Native Nebraskan Award for the National Football team, and several portrait busts of Nebraska Senators. Garden County Health Services is really honored by the placement of this beautiful bronze.
HASTINGS—To a United States Marine, the sight of Old Glory flying in Iraq brings feelings of
pride, patriotism and security.
Now thanks to the generosity of one marine, a U.S. flag that was flown over Iraq is being presented to
Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital (MLMH).
In a surprise presentation yesterday, the flag was presented to MLMH President and CEO W. Michael Kearney.
Included with the flag was a certificate, which reads: “This is to certify this flag was flown in combat
over Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom 09.01, aboard KC130J Hercules Aircraft Number 166762
(Midas 10) on 31 May 2009. Flown proudly by Staff Sergeant Jeff A. Morgan, USMC, for Mary
Lanning Memorial Hospital. May it always serve as a reminder of America’s commitment to defending
freedom.”
— MLMH press release, June 17, 2009
The Nebraska Hospital Association would like to extend their congratulations to
Marty Fattig, CEO of Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn, for achieving a Master of
Healthcare Administration degree from Bellevue University. We applaud his
continuous hard work and commitment to providing excellence to Nemaha County
Hospital and the surrounding community.
OMAHA—Dicon Construction has been named one of Greater Omaha's 2009 Safest Companies by the National Safety Council, Greater Omaha Chapter. Recognition of their Greater Omaha Safest Companies Award took place at 'Awards and Sustenance' at the Safety and Health Summit, May 13 at the Qwest Center Omaha.
"Dicon Construction has achieved the Greater Omaha Safest Companies Award," said Kay Farrell, President
and CEO of the National Safety Council, Greater Omaha Chapter.
— Dicon press release, June 12, 2009
OMAHA—U.S. Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska has introduced a bill that would extend federal funding for some rural community hospitals.
Nelson introduced the bill Wednesday to continue a program that raised the Medicare reimbursement rate in rural areas. Nelson says he has bipartisan support for the bill, including a co-sponsor in Republican Nebraska colleague Senator Mike Johanns. Three other Republican senators are co-sponsoring, as are three other Democratic senators.
The measure would continue funding for 13 rural hospitals across the country, including one in Columbus, Neb. Hospitals in Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, New Mexico and Nevada would benefit, as well.
The rural community hospital funding program is scheduled to end November 1.
— Lincoln Journal Star, June 17, 2009
LINCOLN—The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) held a public hearing on
June 18 to discuss proposed changes to the Nebraska Administrative Code (NAC)
for the Nebraska Medicaid Managed Care Program, also known as the Nebraska
Health Connection, as well as the NAC for the Nebraska Medical Assistance
Program. The proposed changes to Nebraska Health Connection would
expand designated coverage areas of mandatory enrollment for managed care to
include Cass, Dodge, Gage, Otoe, Saunders, Seward and Washington Counties. The
proposed regulation changes to the NAC for the Nebraska Medical Assistance
Program would require prior authorization of select non-emergency outpatient
radiology procedures. The Nebraska Hospital Association
testified on behalf
of Nebraska's hospitals in opposition to both proposals.
WASHINGTON—The debate over an overhaul of the nation's health care system got off to a rocky start in the Senate as lawmakers delayed action on one key bill and engaged in partisan sniping over another. Senate leaders said they are still on track to put a bill on the floor by midsummer, but some Democrats privately acknowledged that piecing together a measure that will expand coverage to the uninsured is proving excruciatingly difficult, particularly if the goal is to pass a bill with Republican support.
Read more.
— Washington Post, June 18, 2009
First Annual Foundation for Annie Jeffery Golf Tournament
June 19, 2009 – Osceola
DataGen Academy: Connecting the Dots: How Quality of Care and Hospital Finances Inter-Relate
June 22, 2009 – Webinar
Maximizing Your Emergency Department: Five Critical Strategies for Operational, Clinical and Financial Performance
June 23, 2009 – Webinar
CMS Medical Record Standards Webinar
June 24, 2009 – Webinar
YGHCS Auxiliary Golf Tourney
July 1, 2009 – York
NEBGEC Annual Conference
July 16-17, 2009 – Omaha
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 Kelley Porter, Director of
Communications, kporter@nhanet.org.
NHA Newslink is published by the Nebraska
Hospital Association, 3255 Salt Creek Circle, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68504-4778.
Phone 402/742-8140, Fax 402/742-8191. Contact Kelley Porter, Director of
Communications, at 402/742-8151, or email,
kporter@nhanet.org.
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