Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Hospital Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council hears hospital presentation on LB1087 and local staffing concerns
Summary
Councilman Robert Tovmassian reported a Nebraska Hospital Association presentation that Legislative Bill 1087 has passed and will increase the state's Medicaid matching capacity by roughly $900 million; the council also heard about potential impacts from a tax-related ballot initiative and local shortages of certified registered nurse anesthetists.
Councilman Robert Tovmassian reported to the Crawford City Council on June 25 that the hospital board had received a presentation from Andrew Hail, vice president for legislative activities with the Nebraska Hospital Association, on recent state-level changes and local staffing issues.
Tovmassian said the presentation explained that Legislative Bill 1087 had passed and will enable state Medicaid dollars to be matched with federal funds, increasing the state's capacity by an estimated $900 million to help offset indigent health-care costs. The presentation also discussed a proposed ballot initiative under consideration for the fall that could remove certain tax protections for nonprofit hospitals; presenters warned that, if enacted, hospitals and associations project potential cost increases that could affect health-care delivery.
Locally, Tovmassian reported a loss of certified registered nurse anesthetists in Dawes County that has affected anesthesia services for surgical and elective procedures. He also noted that the city's rural health clinic is contracted by the hospital to provide services in Crawford and that maintenance and repair costs for clinic facilities will need attention in upcoming council agendas.
The council did not take formal action on the hospital matters at the meeting; the report was informational and recorded in the minutes.
