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Nebraska hospitals advocate for health care at Advocacy Day
LINCOLN, Neb. — On Wednesday, March 5, more than 115
hospital representatives gathered at the Cornhusker Marriott in Lincoln to learn
about legislation that could impact health care delivery in Nebraska. The day’s
program, hosted by the Nebraska Hospital Association, featured presentations by
Senator Mike Flood of Norfolk, speaker of the Legislature; Scot Adams, Ph.D.,
director of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division
of Behavioral Health; NHA President, Laura Redoutey, FACHE; Bruce Rieker, vice
president of advocacy; and Carly Runestad, director of health policy.
 Following
the morning workshop, nearly 200 people, including 30 of Nebraska's senators,
attended a Legislative Luncheon to discuss important health care issues
including health care workforce shortage, community benefits, behavioral health
reform, and the recently passed smoking ban and safe haven legislation.
Below is a brief outline of the Advocacy Day workshop.
2008 Legislative Session Overview
Speaker Mike Flood of Norfolk provided an overview of the 2008
legislative session. He emphasized the challenging economic forecast for the
state and the number of important programs that require continued state funding. He said the Legislature is
debating several priority issues including health care, the death penalty, water
rights, economic development, state roads and the Nebraska State Fair.
Developments in Behavioral Health
Scot Adams, Ph.D., director of the DHHS Division of
Behavioral Health, presented a topic on the radar screen of many hospitals, the
progress of the behavioral health reform. Since 2004, the state has been focused
on developing and encouraging community-based services and discontinuing use of
the state's three Regional Centers. Legislative Bill 542, which passed in 2007,
created the Children's Behavioral Health Task Force. Adams said that the state
has been working to develop a balanced array of accessible services using
strategic evidence-based practices, explore new facilities and services for
those in need, and develop common language and goals. He outlined the state's implementation
strategies for improvement:
1. Statewide implementation of the Comprehensive Family
Assessment plan
2. Expand access for children, adolescents and their families
3. Enhance capacity for services to support in-home placements for specific
populations
4. Support evidence-based practices to reduce out-of-home and out-of-state
placements
5. Effective care coordination, management and evaluation
6. Data-driven decision making
7. Coordinated funding structures to ensure accountability
For more information visit
http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/Behavioral_Health/.
Health for Life: Better Health, Better Health Care
NHA President, Laura Redoutey, presented the American Hospital Association's
road map for health care reform, known as Health for Life. The
ever-evolving framework for change identifies five essential elements of reform
upon which we must build to achieve better health and better health care: a
focus on wellness, the most efficient affordable care, the highest quality care,
the best information, and health coverage for all—paid for by all. For more
information about Health for Life,
click here.
2008 Legislative Update
Bruce Rieker, vice president of advocacy, presented an update on legislative
bills of interest to NHA members and shared the association's position on each
bill. Bills outlined in the presentation include:
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LB 308 – Adopt the Automated Medication System Act
NHA position: Support
-
LB 575 – Exempt nonprofit assisted-living facilities from sales and use
taxes
NHA position: Support
-
LB 586 – Change medical lien provisions
NHA position: Oppose
-
LB 765 – Change provisions relating to certificates of need
NHA position: Monitor
-
LB 796 – Change provisions of the Radiation Control Act
NHA position: Oppose
-
LB 833 – Increase unemployment compensation benefits
NHA position: Oppose
-
LB 949 – Creates a sales tax exemption for nonprofit health clinics
owned by nonprofit hospitals
NHA position: Support
-
LB 1075 – Appropriates funds to the Nebraska Regional Poison
Center
NHA position: Support
-
LB 1082 – Amend the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act to redefine
"injury"
NHA position: Monitor
Rieker also explained that because of term limits, at the beginning of next
year at least 77 percent of Nebraska senators will have two years or less of experience
in the legislature. He addressed the challenges and opportunities that term limits will
create for hospitals. For more information on any of the bills above, contact
Bruce Rieker, vice president of advocacy, at
brieker@nhanet.org or 402/742-8146.
Advocacy Day Key Messages
NHA's Director of Health Policy, Carly Runestad, outlined tips for effective
advocacy, the association's
advocacy resources
and the key messages for health care advocates to discuss with their senators at
the legislative luncheon. The messages centered on:
- Health care workforce shortage crisis and needed actions
- Community benefits provided by Nebraska hospitals
- Behavioral health delivery challenges and opportunities
- Unintended consequences of the newly enacted safe haven legislation
- Thanking lawmakers for passing the statewide smoking ban
Advocacy Recognitions
Laura Redoutey, president, and Christy Rasmussen, director of
communications,
recognized the advocacy achievements of two NHA member hospitals.
2007 AHAPAC Most Valuable PAC Player
Roger Reamer, CEO of Memorial Health Care Systems in
Seward, and NHA President Laura Redoutey
On behalf of the American Hospital Association, the NHA presented Roger
Reamer, CEO of Memorial Health Care Systems in Seward, the 2007 Political
Action Committee (PAC) Most Valuable PAC Player award. The award
recognizes individuals who have put forth an extraordinary effort on behalf of
PAC fundraising to help make state and federal PAC goals a tremendous success.
The NHA congratulates Mr. Reamer.
Boys Town National Research Hospital recognized as 2007 Advocacy Team
of the Year
John Arch, administrator of
Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, NHA President Laura Redoutey, and
Pat Connell, associate administrator of behavioral health.
Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha was recognized by the Nebraska Hospital Association as the
2007 Advocacy Team of the Year. The award was presented to John Arch, administrator, and Pat Connell, associate
administrator, behavioral health. The award recognizes their outstanding advocacy achievements on a local, state and national level.
In 2007, the Advocacy Team at Boys Town National Research Hospital played an
active role in advocating for mental health provider rates, increasing mental
health services capacities, mental health parity, decreasing the number of youth
in juvenile detention centers, encouraging the Unicameral and the executive
branch to develop family-based services and developing the Nebraska Behavioral
Health coalition.
The Nebraska
Hospital Association congratulates the team at Boys Town National Research
Hospital for their outstanding advocacy achievements.
Click here to read
more about the hospital's advocacy achievements.
NHA thanks the following Advocacy Day sponsors:
Platinum:
LaMair-Mulock-Condon Co.
Bronze:
Baird Holm LLP
The MMIC Group
Silver:
Campbell & Associates
Friends of Nebraska's Non-profit Hospitals
Great Plains Telecommunications
Kissel & Associates
Knudsen Berkheimer Richardson & Endacott
Pinpoint Communications, Inc.
Radcliffe & Associates
Ruth Mueller Robak, LLC
Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
Visions in Architecture
If you would like to receive a copy of any NHA Advocacy Day presentations or key
messages, contact Christy Rasmussen, director of communications, at
402/742-8151 or
crasmussen@nhanet.org.
— Christy Rasmussen, director of communications, March 7, 2008.
Legislature begins all-day floor debate
March 4 marked the start of full-day floor sessions in the
Unicameral, as committee hearings on 2008 legislation have been completed. Only
23 working days remain until the April 17 sine die adjournment, meaning the
Legislature will focus mostly on the 102 priority bills designated this session,
as well as measures to balance the biennial budget following last month’s
revised state revenue forecast. The Unicameral’s late-night schedule will be
released March 10. The first late night session is expected to occur the week of
March 25.
— Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, Legislative Report, March 7,
2008.
Religious exemption for newborn blood tests thwarted
A measure that would let parents keep their newborns from getting state blood
tests is going nowhere this year.
Facing stiff opposition from Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha during debate on the
floor of the Legislature Friday, Sen. John Synowiecki of Omaha withdrew his
proposal to exempt newborns whose parents objected to the test based on their
religious beliefs.
Synowiecki said Nebraska is one of just three states that doesn’t offer the
religious exemption.
The blood test is usually performed within 48 hours of birth. It screens for
dozens of rare diseases, some of which can cause severe mental retardation or
death if left undetected.
An Omaha couple have sued the state for requiring the test.
— Associated Press, March 7, 2008.
Child abuse disclosure rules approved
Senators gave final legislative approval March 4 to a bill that expands the
state’s ability to release information in child abuse and neglect cases.
LB 782, introduced by Omaha Sen. Gwen Howard at the request of the governor,
permits the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Director of Children and Family Services or the
department’s CEO to release information in child abuse cases under limited
circumstances.
Among the situations when disclosure will be allowed are those involving the
death or near death of a child, when a child is missing from an DHHS placement or
when information related to a case has already been made public by sources
outside of DHHS.
Under the bill, any disclosure made cannot impede an ongoing criminal
investigation.
LB 782 was passed by a 47-0 vote.
— Nebraska Unicameral Update Online, March 4, 2008.
Governor's immigration bill not coming back
The immigration verification bill, killed in late February by the Legislature’s
Judiciary Committee, was buried Friday, despite efforts by Gov. Dave Heineman
and Attorney General Jon Bruning to revive it.
Heineman said in a statement Friday afternoon the continued actions of the
Judiciary Committee were “very disappointing.”
“LB 963 was about one issue and one issue alone — accountability in government to
Nebraska taxpayers,” he said. “The Judiciary Committee’s actions do not reflect
the views of the vast majority of Nebraskans who deserved to have had this bill
debated by the full Legislature."
Omaha Sen. Brad Ashford, chairman of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, said
Friday he couldn’t get the five votes necessary to reconsider the bill.
The measure would have required state and other government agencies to verify
the legal status of immigrants applying for benefits, contracts, professional
and commercial licenses, public housing, food assistance or other assistance. It
also would have taken the in-state college tuition allowance from undocumented
students who graduated from Nebraska high schools.
Read more.
— JoAnne Young, Lincoln Journal Star, March 7, 2008.
Nebraska state employees would have incentive to join wellness program under
bill
(Lincoln Journal Star) — A bill that uses a stick to prod state
workers into participating in a wellness program is moving to the floor of the
Legislature and has been designated a priority bill by Speaker Mike Flood. That
means it has an excellent chance of being debated. Gov. Dave Heineman praised
the bill (LB 884) during a Monday news conference on wellness as a way for the
state to design a wellness program. He didn’t talk about the part of the bill
that bugs many state workers. Rather than provide a carrot to encourage workers
to participate in wellness activities, the bill would punish those who don’t by
increasing their monthly health insurance premiums. As amended, the bill would
not apply to workers who are covered by union contracts. That’s the bulk of
state employees. However, it would apply to about 2,000 people — folks in
management jobs who are not represented by the union and the people who work for
the Legislative Division, and perhaps to those who work for the state court
system. If these folks participate in the yet-to-be-designed wellness program,
they will pay their traditional share of the health insurance premium costs — 21
percent. If they refuse to participate, they will pay a higher premium — 31
percent of the monthly premium costs.
— Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Daily Update, March 4, 2008.
Despite openings from term limits, fewer Nebraskans file for Legislature
(Omaha World-Herald) — Having 15 vacant legislative seats
apparently wasn't enough incentive to bring out as many would-be state senators
this year. Seventy-three candidates had filed to run for the Nebraska
Legislature by Monday's 5 p.m. deadline. That was down from the total of 82
candidates who competed for two fewer seats in the 2006 primary election. There
are 26 legislative seats on the ballot this year. The 2006 election was the
first in which incumbents were barred from seeking re-election beyond two
consecutive terms. As a result, during that primary there were 20 open seats
among the 24 up for election. This year, 15 seats are being vacated by term
limits. The number of incumbents seeking re-election may have discouraged
additional candidates. Only five of the 11 incumbents running this year have
opponents. Matt Connealy, executive director of the Nebraska Democratic Party,
said term limits can discourage competition in some races. Rather than run a
tough race against an incumbent, potential candidates just wait for four years
and let term limits clear the field, he said.
— Nebraska Chamber of Commerce Daily Update, March 4, 2008.
Health and Human Services cleanup bill moves forward
Senators amended and advanced a bill March 7 containing changes to several
provisions relating to health and human services in Nebraska.
Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney said LB 797 is intended to clean up technical issues
resulting from last session’s reorganization of the state Health and Human
Services Department.
The bill, introduced by the Health and Human Services Committee, would reinstate
some provisions that were inadvertently repealed in 2007. The provisions require
DHHS to establish an administrative disqualification process for aid to dependent
children and child care subsidy programs.
Read more.
— Nebraska Unicameral Update Online, March 7, 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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