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Groups urge senators to oppose motorcycle helmet law repeal
LINCOLN — Concerned health care providers, business leaders
and citizens gathered today at a press conference at the State Capitol rotunda,
to urge Nebraska's
senators to oppose proposed legislation, LB 253, which would repeal the state's motorcycle helmet law
that has been
in place since 1989. Immediately following the press conference, the Legislature
began debating the proposed bill at 1:30 p.m.
Rose White, AAA Nebraska, explained how Nebraska's motorcycle
helmet law has minimal impact on the state's tourism industry.
Peggy Reisher, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, Lincoln
Next, Peggy Reisher, a social worker for NHA member hospital
Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, shared the physical, emotional, psychological
and financial obstacles that nearly all motorcycle crash survivors face
on the road to recovery.
Gary Hausmann, motorcycle crash survivor, Blair
Gary Hausmann, a motorcycle crash survivor from Blair, Neb.,
narrated how a motorcycle helmet saved his life in a fall 2006 collision.
Hausmann lauded the care he received from local hospitals including Madonna
Rehabilitation hospital. He endured a broken neck, punctured lung and
broken ribs. He said, even with "adequate health insurance" and a helmet, he
incurred nearly $383,000 in medical bills. Hausmann said that without his
helmet, he would not be alive today to share his story.
Dan Noble, MD, orthopedic surgeon, Lincoln
Next, Dan Noble M.D., an orthopedic surgeon from Lincoln,
detailed how helmets save lives. Dr. Noble said that in other states, such as
Florida, that have repealed a motorcycle helmet law, death rates have risen as
much as 70 percent. He also explained that if a motorcycle operator crashes and
dies, that person (or the financially responsible party) incurs approximately $52,000 in
related charges. If that person is
lucky enough to survive, the average cost of care increases to $424,000. "Our
young people deserve better. I don't like stop signs. I don't like taxes, but we
have them. From the public health perspective, sometimes we have to rely on the
government for protection, and there is nothing wrong with that," Noble said. He
added that when you really look at the facts, the law saves lives and "that is
invaluable...we can't always fix your brain."
— Christy Rasmussen, director of communications, NHA, January
14, 2008.
Key dates of 2008 Legislative Session
· Jan. 9: Session begins.
· Jan. 15: Governor’s State of the State Address.
· Jan. 22: Committee hearings begin.
· Jan. 23: Last day to introduce bills.
· Feb. 4: Speaker’s office will begin accepting requests for Speaker priority
bills.
· Feb. 22: Deadline for designation of committee & senator priority bills.
· Feb. 22: Deadline for senators to ask Speaker to designate priority bills.
· Mar. 4: All day debate begins on floor.
· April 17: Sine Die adjournment.
Save the date! NHA Advocacy Day is March 5
The Nebraska Hospital Association's annual Advocacy Day event
is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, at the Cornhusker
Marriott Hotel in Lincoln. Advocacy Day is a key opportunity for you to communicate
face-to-face with your senator about important legislation that affects your hospital.
Further program details will follow. If you have questions about Advocacy Day,
please contact Bruce Rieker, vice president of advocacy at
brieker@nhanet.org or 402/742-8146.
Advocacy Team of the Year
Did your hospital advocacy team excel in 2007?
Did you meet with your state senator several times during the 2007 Legislative Session? Did you offer input regarding Medicaid reform, workers compensation, or other health care concerns? Did your employees call or write to support hospital issues?
Let us know that your hospital team deserves the NHA Advocacy Team of the Year award, which will be presented at NHA Advocacy Day, March
5.
It only takes a few minutes to complete the nomination form. Recognize the advocacy efforts of your hospital staff and send in your nomination today.
For more information, please contact Christy Rasmussen, director of
communications at 402/742-8151 or
crasmussen@nhanet.org.
Lincoln senator wants more low-income kids' health insurance
A bill that would provide government health insurance to more children in
low-income families “is simply a small step toward making sure Nebraska children
have access to health care,” said Lincoln Sen. Bill Avery.
His bill (LB818) would raise the income level cut-off so more families would
qualify for the Medicaid health care program for children that the state calls
Kids Connection and the federal government calls SCHIP, or State Children’s
Health Insurance Program.
Right now, Nebraska families that earn no more than 185 percent of the federal
poverty level can qualify for the Kids Connection program. Under the 2007
poverty guideline, that’s a gross income of $38,203 for a family of four.
Avery's
bill would move that cutoff to 200 percent of the poverty level, or $41,300
gross annual income for a family of four.
Read the full article.
— Nancy Hicks, Lincoln Journal Star, January 10, 2008.
State union: Gov. using wellness 'as a weapon
On Thursday, Gov. Dave Heineman encouraged state employees to participate in a
wellness program.
Wearing a red Nebraska sports shirt, the governor and more than 75 employees
walked briskly round and round a Capitol corridor for TV news cameras.
And Friday, Papillion Sen. Tim Gay introduced a bill backed by the governor that
carries a financial incentive to encourage participation in a wellness
program. But there is a catch in the proposal, state union leaders say.
Read the full article.
— Nancy Hicks, Lincoln Journal Star, January 12, 2008.
Bill would ban smoking in cars carrying kids
State Sen. Gwen Howard believes in protecting children. She worked to protect
children as a state caseworker before she was elected to the Legislature.
So banning smoking in cars when children are present, her latest bill, is simply
an extension of that work, she said Thursday.
“We all know how bad smoking is for people, and kids are even more vulnerable,”
she said.
Howard described a TV commercial, now airing, that shows a mom smoking in the
front seat and her two children in the back, who can’t breathe because of the
smoke. One child is crying and the other is saying, “I can’t breathe.”
Read the full article.
— Nancy Hicks, Lincoln Journal Star, January 10, 2008.
Nebraska lawmakers to begin choosing priority bills'
(AP) — Nebraskans will soon be able to see what their state senators really want
to get done this legislative session. Lawmakers on Thursday started choosing
their priority bills. That designation gives proposed legislation a better
chance of being debated by the full Legislature.
— Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Daily Update, January 11, 2008.
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.
— Oskar Garcia, Associated Press, January 2, 2008
Nebraska senator wants Medicaid to pay for smoking cessation programs
(AP) — Medicaid would pay for smoking cessation programs under a bill state
lawmakers could consider this session. Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island
introduced the bill Thursday. The measure says Nebraska is one of eight states
that provide no Medicaid coverage for tobacco cessation counseling or drugs.
— Associated Press, January 11, 2008.
Tight salaries can put Nebraska's state senators in tough spots
(Lincoln Journal Star) — A year into their jobs as newly elected state
senators, many say that although they knew the salary when they signed up to run
for office, they didn't understand the time commitment. That commitment has made
some feel financially squeezed. The Legislature voted 42-0 last year on a
constitutional amendment that would put a $10,000 pay increase for senators on
the ballot in 2010. Senators last got a raise in 1988, from $4,800 a year to
$12,000. In May, 55% of state voters turned down a salary increase to $21,000,
which would have been accompanied by automatic cost of living adjustments.
Meanwhile, the people who work for them -- their legislative staff members --
earn double, triple and sometimes quadruple what their bosses make. Sen. Mark
Christensen of Imperial, elected in 2006, lives five hours from his wife and
seven children during the week. When he decided to seek the office, he had his
own commodities business and also worked for a groundwater advocacy group. His
financial picture changed last year when he quit the advocacy job because of
conflicts with his legislative job, and his commodities business income went
down. If he doesn't get another job he may have to resign after this year, he
said. A person needs to assess his or her situation before deciding to run, said
Sen. Tim Gay. A candidate can't underestimate the amount of time it will take.
Some senators worry that eventually only independently wealthy or retired people
will be able to afford to do the job. Without middle income or young people, the
Legislature will become less diverse.
— Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Daily Update, January 14, 2008.
For more information about health-related legislative bills or resolutions, contact: Bruce Rieker, vice president, advocacy at (402) 742-8146 or brieker@nhanet.org.
NHA Rotunda Review is published by the Nebraska Hospital Association, 3255 Salt
Creek Circle, Lincoln, NE 68504. Phone (402) 742-8140, Fax (402) 742-8191. Visit our Web site at
http://www.nhanet.org. Christy Rasmussen, editor, at
402/742-8151, or email, crasmussen@nhanet.org.
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