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OMAHA—Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of Nebraska is now requesting proposals for the 2010 BlueHealth
Advantage Wellness Grants.
In the summer of 2010 as many as ten non-profit organizations in Greater Nebraska will share
$100,000 in charitable dollars.
New this year:
- As long as a program benefits an eligible Nebraska community, organizations can apply
even if they are based in Omaha and Lincoln.
- Organizations can let BCBS know their “intent to apply”.
The deadline for
proposals is April 1, 2010. Visit the
BCBS Nebraska Web site to learn more.
— BCBS Nebraska press release, February 3, 2010
OMAHA—Effective January 1, 2010, the definition of "employee" under the Nebraska New Hire Reporting Act, for the first time, expressly includes "independent contractors." Nebraska law requires all employers to report any newly hired or rehired employees, including, their name, address, social security number, and the date of hire or rehire, within 20 days of the date of hire or rehire.
Nebraska employers should now perform new hire reporting when hiring independent contractors. This is required regardless of how little money is involved because there is no de minimis
standard like the $600 threshold for 1099-MISC. Also, independent contractors
who are paid after January 1, 2010 need to be reported, regardless of how long
the employer has done business with the contractor in the past.
Read more.
— Knudsen, Berkheimer, Richardson & Endacott, LLP, February 1, 2010
For the first time, government programs next year will account for more than
half of all U.S. health care spending, federal actuaries predict, as the weak
economy sends more people into Medicaid and slows growth of private insurance.
Government health programs are a growing burden on the federal budget, which is
running annual deficits of more than $1 trillion. By 2020, according to the new
projections, about one in five dollars spent in the U.S. will go to health care,
a proportion far beyond any other industrialized nation, the
Wall Street Journal reports.
Read more.
— Wall Street Journal, February 4, 2010
The economic recession has forced Americans to spend 5.7 percent more for health services and drugs in 2009 than they spent in 2008, according to new projections in a report by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. With the health care tab for last year coming to $2.5 trillion, health care spending now represents 17.3
percent of the nation's gross domestic product, a 1.1 percent bigger portion of the nation's economy than in 2008. The increase represents the biggest one-year expansion of health care's share of the economy since the federal government began keeping records in 1960.
Read more.
— New York Times, February 4, 2010
CAMBRIDGE—The "Green
Team" at Tri Valley Health System
(TVHS) has spent the past
six months working to reduce
garbage and increase efficiency.
A few of the programs they have
implemented include a system-wide recycling initiative for plastic bottles,
aluminum cans, magazines, newspapers and boxes. The team has also begun turning
used office paper into smaller note pads as long as there is no protected health
information printed on the sheets.
Read more.
—
Clarion, January 21, 2010
LINCOLN—Heath G. Boddy has been selected to serve as executive director of the Nebraska Health Care Association (NHCA), effective March 8. As executive director of NHCA, Boddy will lead the state’s nursing home, assisted living, licensed practical nurse and hospice associations, as well as the Nebraska Health Care Foundation and the only known licensed and accredited private postsecondary college dedicated to the long-term care profession.
Boddy currently serves as the president of NHCA and executive director of Gold Crest Retirement Center in Adams, Neb. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in health care management and has been a nursing home administrator since 1993.
Boddy has served on Nebraska’s nursing home administrator’s licensing board, on the Nebraska Rural Medicaid Long Term Care Reform Task Force, as a member of the American Health Care Association’s Future Leaders of America, and other officer positions and committees for NHCA.
—
NHCA press release, February 4, 2010
LINCOLN—Lawmakers will wait at least a week before further debating a proposal to repeal the state’s motorcycle helmet law.
LB 200, introduced by Fremont Senator
Charlie Janssen, would permit motorcyclists 21 years of age and older to operate
their vehicles without a helmet. The bill also would require that motorcyclists
and their passengers wear eye protection.
Read more.
— Unicameral Update, February 3, 2010
LINCOLN—Behavioral health providers came to the Capitol Wednesday to add their support to a bill (LB 921) that would require the state of Nebraska to pay Medicaid claims more promptly.
Lincoln Senator Kathy Campbell's bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services to pay, deny or settle Medicaid claims that need no additional information within 45 days of receipt.
Read more.
— Lincoln Journal Star, February 3, 2010
WASHINGTON—President Obama urged congressional Democrats "to finish the job on health care," and suggested that Republicans could be enlisted to play at least some role in negotiating a final bill, the
Washington Post reports. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid have struggled for a way to salvage health care legislation that had appeared on the verge of final passage until a special election in Massachusetts deprived Democrats of their filibuster-proof Senate majority. In the coming days, Reid and Pelosi are expected to confer with the president to determine whether Democrats can pass the existing health care bill or will be forced to start over, the
Post reports.
Read more.
— Washington Post, February 4, 2010
WASHINGTON—Representative Lee Terry said Tuesday the $787 billion economic stimulus package primarily stimulated the growth of government and was "mostly a waste of taxpayer dollars."
Terry said he'll gladly defend his vote against that bill and a broad financial services regulation measure in the face of Democratic criticism.
Read more.
— Lincoln Journal Star, February 2, 2010
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is accepting applications through March 4 for its 2010 Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program. The program helps registered nurses repay their student loans in exchange for working two years in a hospital or other health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses. More information and applications can be found at
www.hrsa.gov.
— AHA News Now, February 3, 2010
Join us for 2010 NHA Advocacy Day
March 9, 2010 – Lincoln
A Benefit Concert for The Returning Veterans Resource Network
February 6, 2010 – Omaha
The Healing Power of Acupuncture Seminar
February 9, 2010 – Teleconference
Credentialing Non-Physician Practitioners (CL)
February 10, 2010 – Webinar
Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Seminar
March 11, 2010 – Grand Island
2010 NHPCP Annual “Living a Good Life…at the End of Life” Conference
March 30 - April 1, 2010 – Lincoln
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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