LB 315 is the Legislature’s 2009-11 mainline biennium budget package that includes:

Sponsor: Sen. Amanda McGill
NHA Position: Support
Effective Date: September 5, 2009

LB 84 removes the termination date for the Women’s Health Initiative Advisory Council, which was created for the purpose of advising and serving as a resource for the Nebraska Health and Human Services Office of Women’s and Men’s Health in carrying out its duties as enacted by the Legislature in the Women’s Health Initiative of 2000. The advisory council is comprised of governor-appointed health care experts and represents a broad range of disciplines. Members provide direction for health awareness and insight on new developments in women’s and men’s health.

Sponsor: Sen. Tim Gay
NHA Position: Support
Effective Date: September 5, 2009

LB 195 revised several definitions relating to the statewide trauma system, including requiring that state trauma plan be updated every five years instead of every two years; updating the duties of the State Trauma Advisory Board; and changing provisions with respect to designation of trauma centers.

Portions of bills amended into LB 195 include:

• LB 220: Change Provisions Relating to Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceuticals –Traditionally, long-term care pharmacy practice has been required to follow a "retail" model. Long-term care pharmacy practice, however, has evolved to resemble a "hospital" model of practice, while still maintaining some aspects of retail practice. The purpose of LB 220 is to update Nebraska statutes to today’s long-term care facility pharmacy practice standards.

• LB 250: Change Physician Assistant Provisions – Nebraska originally authorized physicians to employ physician assistants (P.A.s) in the early 1970s. In 1985, that authority was expanded to allow the use of P.A.s in secondary offices and hospitals. Inclusion of LB 250 updates scope of practice, eliminates additional levels of credentialing for the supervising physician, allows P.A.s to sign death certificates and expands the number of P.A.s a physician may supervise from two to four.

Sponsor: Health and Human Services Committee
NHA Position: Monitored and supported several provisions
Effective Date: June 1, 2009

Portions of bills amended into LB 288 include:

• LB 172: Change the False Medicaid Claims Act and Create a Fund – Creates the State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Cash Fund. The new law requires all recoveries for the state’s costs and attorney’s fees received pursuant to the False Medicaid Claims Act to be credited to a fund that shall be maintained by the State Department of Justice and administered by the attorney general.

• LB 173: Relabeling and Redispensing of Prescription Drugs at Certain Correctional Facilities – This provision permits correctional facilities and jails to contract with pharmacies to allow for the return, relabeling and redispensing of unused prescription drugs prescribed to inmates.

• LB 371: Change Medicaid Reform Plan and Medicaid Reform Council Provisions – This component removed the sunset provision for the Medicaid Reform Council; provided for members’ terms of service; increased the Department of Health and Human Services’ accountability to the council and the public, made council and public participation ongoing components of Medicaid reform; and reinforced legislative involvement in Medicaid reform.

• LB 390: Reimbursement Rates for Assisted Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities – This provision changed reimbursement unit for assisted services funded through the Division of Developmental Disabilities for community-based services from an hourly to a daily unit.

• LB 462: Human Immunodeficiency Virus Testing – Eliminates the need for special written informed consent to administer the HIV test if a person has signed a general consent form for the performance of medical tests or procedures.

• LB 599: Require Health Care Facilities to Provide Itemized Billing Statements upon Patient’s Request – LB 599 provides that a patient is entitled to an itemized billing statement, with diagnostic codes, at any health facility or health care practitioner facility, upon their written request.

Sponsor: Sen. Mike Gloor
NHA Position: Support
Effective Date: September 5, 2009

A medical home is a location, usually a clinic or physician’s office, where a patient can build a relationship with a primary care provider who will coordinate the health care of the patient and provide them with guidance and education on all of their health needs.

LB 396 provides a mechanism for Nebraska Medicaid recipients to have access to better health care through a medical home; provides incentive payments through Medicaid for primary care physicians who provide a medical home; and slows the growth of Medicaid expenditures.

Sponsor: Health and Human Services Committee
NHA Position: Support
Operative Date: May 26, 2009

LB 603 creates the Behavioral Health Workforce Act. The intent of LB 603 is to improve community-based behavioral health services by increasing the number of behavioral health professionals and providing training to these professionals in evidence-based practice and alternatives delivery methods, including utilizing existing infrastructure and telehealth services resulting in an expanded outreach in rural areas of Nebraska. It creates the Behavioral Health Education Center and adds eight additional medical residents in a Nebraska-based psychiatry program by 2013.

Portions of bills amended into LB 603 include:

• LB 136: Change Provisions for Eligibility for Medical Assistance – LB 136 makes necessary improvements to Nebraska’s State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), referred to as Kids Connection, in order to provide health care to more of our state’s low-income children. LB 136 increases income eligibility for Nebraska families with children under 19 years of age from 185 percent to 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL).

• LB 346: Require the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to Provide Services Relating to Children’s Behavioral Health, Adoption and Guardianship – LB 346 requires DHHS to establish a Children and Family Support Hotline; a Family Navigator Program, which consists of trained individuals who will provide peer support and connection to services; and post-adoption and post-guardianship case management services for families.

• LB 356: Behavioral Health Services for Children Without Parental Relinquishment of Custody – This legislation will provide services for children with behavioral health disorders when their parent or parents voluntarily request those services and also seeks to reduce the number of parents who have legally transferred custody of their children to the state, so that they may receive behavioral health services.

• LB 601: Medicaid Waiver for Community-based Mental Health Services – LB 601 directs DHHS to submit an application by July 1, 2009 to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for funding to allow Medicaid payments for various community-based mental health services, including secure residential and sub-acute behavioral health services.

The Nebraska Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool (CHIP) program provides health insurance for approximately 5,000 Nebraska residents who are unable to obtain insurance through their employer or private plans due to pre-existing medical conditions.

LB 358 was introduced at the request of Nebraska’s director of insurance and makes various changes throughout the CHIP program for the purpose of keeping the program solvent. The plan administrator, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, is now charged with working with providers to develop a plan to find nearly $10 million per year in savings to maintain this program.

Sponsor: Sen. Arnie Stuthman
Status: Advanced to Final Reading
NHA Position: Support

The purpose of LB 489 is to ensure funding for the Area Health Education Centers (AHECs), which provide direct support to underserved and rural areas and as a result have a direct impact on increasing the health care workforce supply (e.g., physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, behavioral and mental health providers, and other public health professionals) and on decreasing the inequities in access and quality of health care services. There are five AHEC centers located across the state.

REVENUE COMMITTEE

Sponsor: Sen. Lavon Heidemann
Status: Advanced to Final Reading
NHA Position: Support

The purpose of LB 112 is to exclude from state income taxes, the loan repayment made to eligible health professionals who practice in state defined medical shortage areas under the Loan Repayment Program, which was established as part of the Rural Health Systems and Professional Incentive Act. The repayment program began in 1994 and involves a three-year practice obligation. To date, more than 300 health professionals have participated in this program.

Sponsor: Sen. Tim Gay
Status: Advanced to Final Reading
NHA Position: Support

LB 159 would allow a nonrefundable income tax credit equal to 25 percent of premiums paid for a long-term care insurance policy. The total credit could not exceed $250 for individual policies and $500 for joint policies. The credit may be claimed for a maximum of three years. Under the bill, the credit would not be allowed if the taxpayer used the adjustment to federal gross income for contributions made pursuant to the Long-Term Care Savings Plan Act the same tax year.

Sponsor: Sen. Galen Hadley
Status: Advanced to Final Reading
NHA Position: Support

LR 186
Sponsor: Sen. Steve Lathrop
Study to examine trends in workers’ compensation insurance premiums, their causes and their effects.

LR 231
Sponsor: Sen. Pete Pirsch
Explore ways the state could promote job creation in the more economically disadvantaged rural communities in Nebraska.

EXECUTIVE BOARD COMMITTEE

LR 96
Sponsor: Sen. Rich Pahls
Examine the responsiveness of state agencies when they are requested to provide information to the Legislature.

 

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

LR 150
Sponsor: Sen. Kathy Campbell
Interim study to examine the Department of Health and Human Services’ plan to contract for delivery of Medicaid services using an at-risk capitated managed care model.

LR 156
Sponsor: Sen. Tim Gay
Identify the statutory powers and duties of the Department of Health and Human Services and to prioritize the programs and services administered by the Department.

LR 159
Sponsor: Sen. Tim Gay
Examine the future need for health care workers in Nebraska.

LR 160
Sponsor: Sen. Tim Gay
Study to review and provide recommendations relating to the statewide telehealth network.

LR 179
Sponsor: Sen. Gwen Howard
Examine the requirements and conditions of the state’s contract with Magellan Behavioral Health Services.

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

LR 226
Sponsor: Sen. Gwen Howard
Examine medical malpractice liability.