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NHA state legislative update
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:
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LB
1017 - (Opposed) Sponsored by Senator Cornett, this bill would provide requirements for insurers for prescription drug coverage.
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LB 1038 - (Opposed) Sponsored by Senator Fulton, this
bill would change provisions relating to informed consent for genetic
testing.
View.
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LB 1088 - (Supported) Sponsored by Senator Cornett, this
bill would adopt the Physician and Patient Prescription Protection Act.
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LB 1093 - (Supported) Sponsored by Senator Lathrop, this
bill would change Medicaid Prescription Drug Act provisions.
— Nebraska Hospital Association, February 22, 2010
Hearings scheduled for February 22-25
The following "bills of interest" to NHA
members are being heard in committees next week:
Monday, February 22
-
LB 1040 - Sponsored by Senator
Fulton, this bill would adopt the Nebraska Municipal Comparability Act for use in industrial disputes involving public employees.
Wednesday, February 24
-
LB 953 - Sponsored by Senator
Coash, this bill would provide a rate of payment for certain medical
services in emergency protective custody situations.
-
LB 981 - Sponsored by Senator Cornett, this bill would provide for
review of the tax expenditure report.
-
LB 999 - Sponsored by Senator Campbell, this bill would provide a
two-year moratorium on new hospital licenses.
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LB 1053 - Sponsored by Senator Coash, this bill would exempt prepared
food, computer software, and certain tangible personal property from sales
tax.
Thursday, February 25
-
LB
1043 - Sponsored by Senator Lautenbaugh, this bill would change medical lien provisions and provide for discovery of medical treatment value and payment rights.
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LB 1110 - Sponsored by Senator Campbell, this bill would change provisions relating to coverage for certain children under the Medical Assistance Program as prescribed.
Click here to view the NHA 2010 Bills of Interest Summary. For additional
legislative updates, visit www.nhanet.org.
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.
— Nebraska Hospital Association, February 12, 2010
Register now for March 9 Advocacy Day; last week to receive
discounted lodging
The Nebraska Hospital Association's annual Advocacy Day event
is scheduled for Tuesday, March 9, at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln.
This half-day workshop will provide health care advocates with important information about state legislative issues. Following the
morning's educational programming, you will have an opportunity to visit with
your senator about how legislation will affect health care in your community at
a Legislative Luncheon.
Event registration is $40 per person. To register online for Advocacy
Day,
click here.
If you need hotel accommodations, make your room reservation by calling The Cornhusker Marriott in Lincoln at (866) 706-7706. The
special rate is $112 plus tax for
lodging the night of March 8, 2010. Reservations must be made by March 1, 2010 to guarantee the group rate. Be sure to tell
them you are attending the NHA Advocacy Day event on March 9.
Revenue bond ballot measure advanced
LINCOLN—Lawmakers gave first-round approval February 22 to a proposed constitutional amendment that would authorize the use of revenue bonds to develop property for use by nonprofit enterprises.
LR295CA, introduced by Lincoln Senator Amanda McGill, would place a proposed constitutional amendment on the May 2010 primary election ballot that would authorize any county, city or village to acquire, own, develop and lease real and personal property for use by charitable nonprofit enterprises, and to issue revenue bonds to defray the cost of acquiring, developing or financing such property.
Read more.
—
Unicameral Update, February 22, 2010
WASHINGTON—President Obama will call for new government power to regulate insurance-rate increases as part of comprehensive changes to the health care system that the White House will unveil on its Web site, senior officials said. The proposal is part of a package that a top official said will serve as a "starting point" for the bipartisan health summit February 25, and comes as Obama has pointed to recent rate increases as evidence that his proposed changes are necessary. The new proposal would give Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius new authority to oversee, and potentially block, rate increases that are deemed unfair, the
Washington Post reports.
Read more.
—
Washington Post, February 22, 2010
WASHINGTON—There may not be a happy ending for people on health reform, Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) said this weekend.
Nelson, who gave key support to health care legislation in the Senate in December, defended his actions to support the bill, lashing out at the media for heaping scrutiny on deals the senator had secured to support the reform package.
Read more.
— The Hill, February 21, 2010
WASHINGTON—More than half the states are reducing Medicaid services and payments to health care providers in 2010 year as the recession propelled enrollments to record levels and sapped money from treasuries,
USA Today reports. Medicaid enrollment rose by 7.2 percent from June 2008 and June 2009.
Most states are threatening bigger cuts starting in July unless Congress extends a higher federal contribution included in last year's $862 billion economic stimulus law. Some of those cuts would make it harder for low-income people to qualify.
Read more.
— USA Today, February 22, 2010
Smith holds slim hope for health care compromise
WASHINGTON—President Obama and top Republicans in Congress meet this week to talk about health care reform, and Representative Adrian Smith says there is a slight chance of an agreement.
Smith said Obama must be willing to compromise.
Read more.
— North Platte Bulletin, February 20, 2010
Nelson no fan of budget reconciliation
KEARNEY—Senator Ben Nelson says he prefers not to use reconciliation to pass a health care bill.
Nelson was in Kearney Friday to celebrate the opening of the University of Nebraska at Kearney's new planetarium in the Bruner Hall of Science. Nelson helped secure a grant from NASA for the facility.
Read more.
— Omaha World-Herald, February 19, 2010
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
www.nhanet.org. Kelley Porter, editor, at (402) 742-8151, or email,
kporter@nhanet.org.
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