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OMAHA—More than 1,200 individuals from 10 states will climb 40 floors to the top of the First National Tower, 1601 Dodge St., on Saturday, February 20,
2010 for the fourth annual Trek Up the Tower—Omaha’s premier vertical challenge race benefiting the Wellness Council of the Midlands (WELCOM). Proceeds from Trek Up the Tower will
assist WELCOM in its quest to build a healthier community through worksite wellness and health promotion.
Learn more.
—
Trekupthetower.org, February 18, 2010
LINCOLN—Congressman Jeff Fortenberry yesterday hosted a free summit on opportunities
for small businesses to address health care costs at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln.
“One of my priorities is shifting the health care paradigm from a system that treats the symptoms of sickness and disease to one that promotes lifelong wellness and prevention." Fortenberry
said.
NHA staff attendees Al Klaasmeyer, Vice President of Subsidiaries, and Kelley
Porter, Director of Communications, relayed that the summit focused on
opportunities for small businesses to address health care costs through wellness
and healthy lifestyles. Wellness experts conveyed valuable resources for
businesses to build a program based on specific needs, including services
provided by
WorkWell.
— Nebraska Hospital Association, February 18, 2010
WASHINGTON—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has identified
a problem where claims were not automatically crossing over to supplemental
payers even though the provider remittance advice indicated otherwise. This
problem began January 5, 2010.
Action is required on behalf of Part B
professional providers where a remittance advice with an issue date between
January 5, 2010, and February 12, 2010, has two or more service lines for a
beneficiary where both of the following apply:
- One service line is 100 percent
reimbursable (i.e., the approved amount and amount to be paid are equal,) AND
- One service line where part of or the entire Medicare approved amount is applied
to the Part B deductible and/or carries co-insurance amounts.
CMS is not able to
forward these beneficiary claims to supplemental payers even though the
remittance advice may indicate otherwise. Providers will need to identify these
claims by reviewing their remittance advice with an issue date between January
5, 2010, and February 12, 2010, that contain the criteria noted above. Once
identified, providers will need to take action to balance bill the beneficiary’s
supplemental payer. As of February 12, 2010, this system problem was fixed and
all claims are crossing over to supplemental payers as indicated on the provider
remittance advice. CMS has already notified supplemental payers of these issues.
— CMS news release, February 17, 2010
The Center for HICS Education and Training, which is composed of the persons responsible for crafting
the Hospital Incident Command System (HICS),
is conducting an internal review of what works well and what improvements could
be made for the next version.
An online questionnaire has been created for HICS Web site users to provide input
on preferences and suggestions for how the various elements could be improved.
Click here to complete
this quick survey available through February 28, 2010.
— Center for HICS Education and Training, February 17, 2010
OMAHA—The sixth annual Walk and Roll for Disabilities seeks to raise money to support recreation therapy programs for adults with developmental disabilities at the
University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Munroe-Meyer Institute. The event
will be held at Noon on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at Westroads Mall in Omaha.
Click here for more
information.
—
UNMC press release, February 18, 2010
HENDERSON—Construction is complete at Henderson Health Care Services as the hospital expansion project drew to a close on January 29. The $1.2 million project, which began in March of 2009, includes a new labor and delivery suite with whirlpool tub, three private patient rooms with showers, a new expanded emergency room, second nurses station, additional waiting room, decontamination shower and storage space.
While the aesthetic appeal of the hospital addition is impressive, this project also excels the quality of service already offered at Henderson Health Care Services, Inc.
Read more.
—
Henderson Health Care Services press release, February 11, 2010
KEARNEY—Good Samaritan Hospital hosted an open house yesterday to celebrate
its one-year anniversary of a dedicated Stroke and Neurology unit in the
hospital.
Last February, Good Samaritan Hospital opened the dedicated unit for patients with head injuries and who have had strokes. In addition to physical and facility changes to accommodate the unit, staff received additional certifications so they can provide a higher level of care to stroke patients in a new care model at Good Samaritan. The unit is part of Good Samaritan Hospital’s commitment to improving care for individuals who have experienced a stroke or head trauma.
—
Good Samaritan Hospital press release, February 15, 2010
LINCOLN—Health insurance companies would be limited in what they can charge for
certain prescription drugs under a bill heard February 16 by the Banking,
Commerce and Insurance Committee. Bellevue Senator Abbie Cornett, sponsor of
LB1017, said she introduced the bill to ensure that every insured Nebraskan has access to reasonable prescription drug benefits.
Read more.
— Unicameral Update, February 17, 2010
LINCOLN—Senators voted February 17 to suspend the Legislature’s rules and allow the introduction of a bill meant to address a gap in Medicaid eligibility for low-income, pregnant women.
Legislative rules limit bill introduction to the first 10 working days of a legislative session, which ended this year on January 21.
Lincoln Senator Kathy Campbell, who made the motion to suspend the rules and introduce
LB 1110, said the timeline of a change in policy made by the state Department of Health and Human Services necessitated an exception.
Read more.
— Unicameral Update, February 17, 2010
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama may be able to achieve meaningful health care reform this year if he is willing to start over and help craft a bipartisan plan, Senator Mike Johanns said Tuesday.
"I believe he has a shot at getting not what he wants, but a very, very good bill," the Republican senator told a luncheon gathering of the Lincoln Independent Business Association.
The president needs to be willing to "start with a blank sheet of paper" and try to find agreement between Democrats and Republicans, Johanns said.
Read more.
— Lincoln Journal Star, February 16, 2010
WASHINGTON—On February 9, 2010, with a bipartisan vote of 52-33 (60 needed to
invoke cloture), the Senate rejected the nomination of labor union attorney
Craig Becker to the powerful National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Labor
leaders sought to use this nomination to implement their "Plan B" to enact the
jobs-killing "card check" plan. It is important to commend those Senators who
chose to protect the principles of fairness and balance in our labor law system
by opposing the nomination of Mr. Becker. Both U.S. Senators Ben Nelson and Mike Johanns voted against the cloture motion. Please thank them for their decision and urge them to oppose any efforts to enact provisions of the Employee Free Choice Act ("card check").
Read more.
— National Association of Manufacturers, February 17, 2010
CIMRO of Nebraska is pleased to announce the receipt of a $6.6 million grant to serve as the Regional Extension Center for the state of Nebraska. CIMRO of Nebraska is in the process of establishing Wide River Technology Extension Center (TEC) as Nebraska's Regional Extension Center. Wide River TEC will assist health care providers with implementing and using Electronic Health Records (EHRs).
To access the full press release,
click here.
To be added to the distribution list for updates on the Wide River TEC launch and organization activity, visit
www.widerivertec.org.
— CIMRO of Nebraska news release, February 17, 2010
Join us for 2010 NHA Advocacy Day
March 9, 2010 – Lincoln
Registration is $40 per person. To register online for Advocacy Day,
click here. The Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln at (866) 706-7706 has a group rate of $112 plus tax per room if reservations made prior to March 1.
HIPAA Breech Notification Law and Penalties (CL)
February 16, 2010 – Webinar
RAC Audit Issues: Ensuring Compliance
February 23, 2010 – Webinar
Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Seminar
March 11, 2010 – Grand Island
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF)
Clinical Seminar
March 25, 2010 – St. Louis, MO
2010 NHPCP Annual “Living a Good Life…at the End of Life” Conference
March 30 - April 1, 2010 – Lincoln
Disney’s Approach to Quality Service for Healthcare Professionals
April 6, 2010 – Omaha
9th Annual ASHE Region 6 Education Conference
April 22 & 23, 2010 – Mankato, MN
SAVE THE DATE:
2010 Lifespan Health Services Conference
May 11-12, 2010 – Kearney
Click here
for a list
of upcoming NHA audio-conferences 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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