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Nebraskans advocate for a smoke-free state
The Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) together
with seven other health associations sponsored “Smoke-free Lobby Day” on January 22.
Concerned health leaders and citizens attended a morning breakfast that
featured speakers John Atkinson, American Cancer Society; Sara Bills, American
Heart
Association; Charlie Colon, American Lung Association; Athena Ramos, University
of Nebraska Medical Center; and Former State Senator, Dennis Byars. Former
Senator Byars, a cancer survivor, discussed how to build positive
relationships with senators.
Former Nebraska Senator Dennis Byars
The event drew over 200 advocates from across the
state who visited with their legislators about supporting the statewide smoking
ban without the "opt-out" provision. Following the senator meetings, the
sponsoring associations conducted a press conference at the State Capitol's
Rotunda. At the conference, new survey results were released revealing that as many as 72 percent of Nebraska's residents
support a Smoke-free Nebraska, up from 69 percent just 10 months ago. The enthusiastic attendees chanted "Go
Smoke-free!" "Go Smoke-free!"
Smoke-free Nebraska press conference
Event co-sponsors include:
American Cancer Society,
American Heart Association,
American Lung Association,
Nebraska Medical
Association, Nebraska Nurses Association, Nebraska Rural Health Association
and
Public Health Association of Nebraska.
NHA offers testimony at recent bill hearings
NHA accepting nominations for Advocacy Team of the Year
At the NHA 2008 Advocacy Day on Wednesday, March 5, the Association will
present the “NHA Advocacy Team of the Year” award. This award recognizes the
advocacy achievements of one hospital team during the 2007 legislative session.
Did you meet with your state senator in 2007? Did you or your hospital staff
communicate with elected officials on key issues affecting health care? If so,
your hospital could be the "Advocacy Team of the Year." To be considered,
download an entry form on the
NHA Web
site and submit it by February 15. For more information, please contact
Christy Rasmussen, director of communications, at 402/742-8151 or
crasmussen@nhanet.org.
Hearing schedule for Jan. 28-Feb. 1
The following "bills of interest" to NHA members are being
heard in committees this week. Behind each bill number is the committee that
will hear testimony. If you would like to share your perspective on a particular
bill or are interested in testifying at the hearing, please contact Bruce
Rieker, vice president of advocacy, at 402/742-8146 or
brieker@nhanet.org, or Carly Runestad,
director of health policy at 402/742-8153 or
crunestad@nhanet.org.
Mon. Jan. 28
LB 833 (Business) – Change
unemployment compensation benefits
Tues. Jan. 29
LB 854 (Banking) – Adopt the Discount Medical Plan
Organization Act
LB 1013 (Education) – Adopt the Higher Education Academic
Scholarship Program Act.
Weds. Jan. 30
LB 759 (HHS) – Change provisions relating to relabeling and redispensing
prescription drugs
LB 830
(HHS) – Adopt the Prescription Drug Cost Savings Act
LB 840 (Judiciary) –
Regulate Salvia divinorum and Salvinorin
A under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act
LB 866
(HHS) – Adopt the Chronic Disease Drug Repository
Program Act
LB 882
(HHS) – Change provisions relating to prescription
medication for indigent persons
LB 885
(HHS) – Redefine prescription relating to the practice
of pharmacy
LB 902 (Judiciary) –
Change provisions related to controlled substances schedules and inventory
Thurs. Jan. 31
LB 753 (HHS) – Provide for nurse practitioners to practice without
integrated practice agreements
LB 757 (Revenue) – Adopt the Volunteer Emergency Responders
Incentive Act
LB 787 (Judiciary) – Create degrees of offenses of assault on
an emergency services provider or a health care provider
LB 807
(HHS) – Require Medicaid coverage of tobacco-cessation
products and services
LB 818
(HHS) – Change eligibility provisions for medical
assistance
LB 835 (HHS) – Prohibit transfer of certain lead-containing items
LB 891 (Revenue) – Provide an income tax credit for certain
health-related expenditures
LB 901 (Judiciary) – Provide immunity for emergency management
workers as prescribed
LB 974 (Revenue) – Provides an income tax credit for health
insurance or care expenses of certain employees
LB 1012 (Revenue) – Allow an income tax credit for certain
long-term care insurance policy premiums
Fri. Feb. 1
LB 778 (Revenue) – Change property tax assessment and equalization
provisions
LB 864 (Revenue) – Change the standard of review for the Tax Equalization
and Review Commission
To see this week's complete schedule of committee hearings
click here. To search for a specific bill,
click here
to access the Unicameral's bill finder.
Sponsorship opportunities
available for March 5 Advocacy Day
The Nebraska Hospital Association's annual Advocacy Day event
is scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, at the Cornhusker
Marriott Hotel in Lincoln. Scheduled speakers include Speaker of the Legislature Sen. Mike Flood (Norfolk);
Sen. Deb Fischer (Valentine); Scot Adams, Nebraska Health and Human Services director of division of Behavioral
Health; NHA President, Laura J. Redoutey, FACHE; Bruce Rieker, NHA vice
president of advocacy; and Carly Runestad, NHA director of health policy.
In 2007,
more than more than 105 hospital representatives gathered at the Cornhusker
Marriott in Lincoln to learn about legislation that impacts health care delivery
in Nebraska. The Advocacy Day luncheon was attended by more than 150 from across the state, including 28 senators. If you
are interested in sponsoring Advocacy Day,
contact Bruce Rieker, vice president of advocacy at
brieker@nhanet.org or 402/742-8146.
Medicaid proposes cuts in five areas
State Health and Human Services leaders would like to reduce five services
provided by Medicaid — from chiropractic visits to dental care — for an
estimated $2.54 million in cuts from the $1.5 billion health care program.
Several groups representing poor Nebraskans and people with disabilities have
already begun objecting to the proposed cuts, outlined in an early January
letter to state leaders, hoping that senators will halt some of them.
“Obviously we have some serious concerns about this,” said Jennifer Carter,
director of a health care access program with the Nebraska Appleseed Center for
Law in the Public Interest. “We are particularly concerned because the Medicaid
population tends to be very, very poor. And they don’t have the disposable
income to make up for whatever holes there might be in their coverage,” Carter
said.
Medicaid officials outlined the cuts in an early January letter to state
leaders. Medicaid, a federal and state funded program, served about 201,000
people last year, primarily low-income elderly, low-income families and people
with disabilities.
Read the full article.
— Nancy Hicks, Lincoln Journal Star, January 27, 2008.
Senator says support for smoking ban growing
Debate by state senators on a border-to-border smoking ban (LB 395) has yet to
be scheduled in this early part of the session, but the bill’s sponsor hopes it
comes up soon.
Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney wants an up or down vote from his colleagues this
time — no long debate like last session. When the bill comes back, Johnson wants
it to resemble Lincoln’s ban more than it does now. He would change the amended
bill so it does not allow cities, counties or villages to opt-out of the ban
with a vote of residents.
A poll paid for by the American Cancer Society’s Nebraska division and released
Tuesday showed support is high among 500 adults surveyed in early December. The
poll showed that in the 10 months since the last survey, support for prohibiting
smoking in most public places is up ever so slightly from 69 percent to 72
percent.
Read the full article.
— JoAnne Young, Lincoln Journal Star, January 22, 2008.
Senators advance bill aimed at changing provisions relating to medical liens
LB 586, introduced by Sen. Abbie Cornett (Bellevue), would reduce the amount of
a lien by the discount or other limitation that would have applied to the claim
if it had been submitted to a medical insurer for reimbursement.
According to Sen. Steve Lathrop of Omaha, the proposal will encourage hospitals
to bill insurers promptly. A Judiciary Committee amendment added chiropractors
to the list of treatment providers subject to the bill’s provisions and removed
Medicaid and Medicare from the bill’s discount provisions. The bill was advanced
to select file on a 39-0 vote.
— Nebraska Unicameral Update Online, January 23, 2008.
EMS training and licensure changes discussed
The Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony Jan. 23 regarding
potential changes to the Emergency Medical Services Practice Act.
LB730, introduced by Norfolk Sen. Mike Flood, would replace the existing U.S.
Department of Transportation curricula for emergency medical services (EMS)
technicians with one developed by the Nebraska Board of Emergency Medical
Services.
The bill also would require the Nebraska EMS Board to develop a new skills
competency test for licensure. According to Bruce Beins, a Republican City EMT,
Nebraska is one of 44 states that currently use the National Registry of
Emergency Medical Technicians written exam.
Read the full article.
— Nebraska Unicameral Update Online, January 23, 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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