Rotunda Archive

March 5, 2009

The Nebraska Hospital Association – Nebraska's influential voice for health care.

If you have questions or concerns about any state legislation, please contact Bruce Rieker, Vice President, Advocacy, at (402) 742-8146 or brieker@nhanet.org; or Cora Micek, Advocacy Coordinator, at (402) 742-8153 or cmicek@nhanet.org. 

NHA offers testimony, letters of support or opposition at bill hearings

LINCOLN—The legislature continued hearings on bills this week, many of which the NHA and member hospitals testified or submitted a letter of support or opposition, including:

• LB 37 - Appropriate funds for a new division of the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing in Norfolk. View
  Vic Lee, CEO of Boone County Health Center in Albion and Jim Sinek, CEO of Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk testified. View Vic Lee's testimony
• LB 200 - Change motorcycle and moped helmet requirements. View
• LB 406 - Permit certified nurse midwives to have clinical privileges in hospitals. View
• LB 457 - Change provisions relating to certified nurse midwives. View
• LB 481 - Eliminate restrictions on midwives attending home deliveries. View
• LB 486 - Require certain governmental entities to identify themselves as such in their official name. NHA testified in opposition. View letter submitted by Dan Griess, CEO of Box Butte General Hospital in Alliance
• LB 607 - Adopt the Higher Education Academic Scholarship Program Act. View
• LB 637 - Require disclosure of information by certain group health carriers. View

The NHA will continue to monitor bills of interest and take the necessary actions that best represent its membership. For current advocacy alerts and updates, visit the NHA's Advocacy Action Center.
 

Hearing schedule for March 9 – 13

The following "bills of interest" to NHA members are being heard in committees next 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, Advocacy, at (402) 742-8146 or brieker@nhanet.org, or Cora Micek, Advocacy Coordinator, at (402) 742-8153 or cmicek@nhanet.org.

Monday, March 9

• LB 267 (Business and Labor) - Prohibit mandatory overtime for state employees providing services to individuals in residential care
• LB 557 (Business and Labor) - Provide for a fair share representation contribution from employees who are not members of the labor union

Tuesday, March 10

• LB 93  (Transportation) - Prohibit smoking in a motor vehicle with an occupant under sixteen years of age
• LB 476 (Education) - Adopt the Center for Student Leadership and Extended Learning Act

Wednesday, March 11

• LB 430  (Judiciary) - Amend the Concealed Handgun Permit Act and state the power of cities and villages with respect to firearms

Thursday, March 12

• LB 193  (Appropriations) - Change a restriction on use of cigarette tax proceeds for bonds

Click here click here to access the Unicameral's bill finder.


 

Register today for March 31 Advocacy Day

The Nebraska Hospital Association's annual Advocacy Day event is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln.

In 2008, 86 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 nearly 200 individuals from across the state, including 38 senators.

This half-day workshop will provide health care advocates with important information about state legislative issues. Scheduled speakers include Governor Dave Heineman; Rhonda Hawks, Chair, Behavioral Health Oversight Commission, Founder, Hawks Foundation; Steve Wengel, M.D., and Susan Boust, M.D. University of Nebraska Medical Center; Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc, Dean of Nursing, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Paul Muraca, AHA Regional Executive; Laura J. Redoutey, FACHE, NHA President; Bruce Rieker, NHA Vice President, Advocacy and Cora Micek, NHA Advocacy Coordinator.

Registration is $30 per person. To register online for Advocacy Day, click here. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. If you are interested in sponsoring Advocacy Day, contact Kelley Porter, Director of Communications, at kporter@nhanet.org or (402) 742-8151 or click here.

New UNMC nursing division proposed

The Appropriations Committee heard testimony March 3 on a proposed nursing college to be located at Northeast Community College in Norfolk.

Sponsored by Norfolk Senator Mike Flood, LB 37 would appropriate $814,609 from the state’s general fund in fiscal year 2009-10 and $1.46 million in FY 2010-11 to establish a division of UNMC’s College of Nursing at the Norfolk community college campus.

Flood said most of the $11.9 million cost to construct and equip the facility has been raised already through private fundraising efforts, and he believes the full amount will be pledged by April 1. Read more.

— Unicameral Update, March 3, 2009
 

Heineman wants to repay river basin residents

LINCOLN— Chances have improved that residents of Nebraska’s Republican River basin will be repaid millions of dollars in property taxes.

On Tuesday, Governor Dave Heineman introduced a measure (LB 681) to the Legislature that would require tax dollars paid under part of a water law later found to be unconstitutional be paid back. Water officials in the basin have estimated the amount to be $2 million to $2.5 million.

In 2007, the Legislature gave natural resources districts in the basin authority to collect more property taxes to help send Kansas water it is owed under the Republican River compact.

The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled in January that the extra taxing authority was primarily for state purposes and was therefore unconstitutional.

— Lincoln Journal Star, March 3, 2009

 

Chamber offers opportunity to be involved in governmental affairs

GRAND ISLAND—In a editorial in the Grand Island Independent, Kent Brown, chairman-elect of the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce, writes that "with all of the change that has come to our political landscape on the national, state and local levels, it is easy to see how one can easily become disheartened or even disenfranchised." But Brown says citizens must give input "to help guide our leaders."

To lead and help in this process, the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce gathers representatives from members to review and discuss bills that come before state legislators ... "to let them know what is most important to people and businesses in Grand Island." Read more.

— Grand Island Independent, February 21, 2009

 

Top union official sure of votes on card check

WASHINGTON—With renewed support from the White House, labor officials said Wednesday they are confident that legislation making it easier to unionize workplaces will pass Congress this year.

President Barack Obama offered some of his most supportive comments for the Employee Free Choice Act since he took office this week, telling AFL-CIO members in a videotaped message Tuesday that he will work to pass the bill.

"As we confront this crisis and work to provide health care to every American, rebuild our nation's infrastructure, move toward a clean energy economy and pass the Employee Free Choice Act, I want you to know that you will always have a seat at the table," Obama told the federation as it held its winter meeting in Miami Beach.

Bill Samuel, the AFL-CIO's legislative director, dismissed speculation that some Democratic supporters may waver under pressure from business groups. Read more.

— AP/Yahoo, March 4, 2009

 

In health plan, industry sees good business

WASHINGTON—President Obama's attempt to dramatically expand the health care system has attracted support from insurers, hospitals, and other players in the powerful medical lobby who are set to participate in an unusual White House summit on the issue. The lure for the industry is the prospect of tens of millions of new customers: If Obama succeeds in fulfilling his pledge to cover many more Americans, those newly insured people will get checkups, purchase medicine, undergo physical therapy, and get surgeries they cannot afford today. Read more.

— Washington Post, March 7, 2009

 

AHA Annual Membership Meeting


Join your colleagues April 26–29 in Washington, D.C., at the 2009 AHA Annual Membership Meeting to hear the latest on the forces buffeting health care, and to take hospitals’ message to Capitol Hill. The agenda includes prominent keynote speakers such as former Nightline host Ted Koppel, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher and former Secretary of State James Baker ... executive briefings on important health care topics, an opportunity to earn ACHE credits … and more!
 

For more information about health-related legislative bills or resolutions, contact: Bruce Rieker, Vice President, Advocacy, at (402) 742-8146 or brieker@nhanet.org or Cora Micek, Advocacy Coordinator, at (402) 742-8153 or cmicek@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. Kelley Porter, editor, at (402) 742-8151, or email, kporter@nhanet.org.

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