Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The envelope didn't surprise Dru McMillan. But when she opened the letter and read the number, she felt sick. "If you agree with the determination, please submit a draft in the amount of $21,042.73 within 30 days," it read. McMillan is a Lincoln therapist. She has long served a majority of patients who use Medicaid, the government-funded cheap or free insurance, to pay for mental health care. The letter came from an auditor working for one of three massive insurance companies the State of...
In the past three weeks, I outlined all six ballot initiatives and referendum measures that will be on this year’s general election ballot. This editorial is dedicated to my personal perspective on two ballot measures: Initiative Measures 434 (Protect Women and Children) and 439 (Protect Our Rights) relating to abortion. In my mind, we should strive to do the most good and preserve human life. This is why I am encouraging pro-life voters in Nebraska to consider voting for Initiative Measure 4...
I would first like to express my gratitude to the first responders who quickly handled the explosion and fire at St. Patrick’s Parish in O’Neill earlier this week. I am thankful that there were no catastrophic injuries or loss of life and am hopeful that the parish, Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital and St. Mary’s School can quickly recover. I have been in contact with other state officials to help coordinate state resources to ease the recovery of Avera St. Anthony’s, which sustained damage. I...
For more than 30 years, I worked among fellow journalists who were passionate watchdogs reporting on the actions of people in power as a way to hold them accountable. I'm proud to see that important work continue, from the reporting on local government budgets to investigations of corruption in the halls of Congress. Ensuring transparency and accountability of government remains the goal every day - and no one is above scrutiny. Unfortunately, Americans are gobbling up outlandish misinformation...
Half of U.S. children depend on government programs for health care, and in some states, they're beginning to lose that coverage at rates that have concerned the federal government. Foothold Technology analyzed data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and state health departments collected by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families to illustrate which states have allowed children to lose health care at an alarmingly fast pace. Passed in March 2020, the...
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely is a proverbial saying reportedly coined by the English nobleman Lord Acton in 1857. How much power should be given to the executive branch of Nebraska state government is a topic for discussion by state lawmakers and political observers alike. Currently there are 18 code agencies, which answer to Governor Jim Pillen. The Legislature is considering measures addressing the situation. Sen Steve Erdman of Bayard wants History Nebraska (formerly...
We are now two-thirds of the way through the 60-day session and have completed public hearings for the year. Senators will now meet in full-day sessions for floor debate. Discussion will focus on bills that have been given priority status either by a senator, a committee, or the speaker. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn April 18. LB1087 by Sen. Jacobson would adopt the Hospital Quality Assurance and Access Assessment Act. This bill would have Nebraska join 44 other states in obtaining...
Nebraska Telephone Assistance Program Notice NNTC The Nebraska Telephone Assistance Program is available for qualifying customers of Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company. This program provides monthly service discounts on telephone service. Toll blocking at no charge and reduced deposits are also available through NTAP. NTAP is administered by the Nebraska Public Service Commission. NTAP assistance reduces the cost of basic, monthly local telephone service. Eligible consumers can receive up to $12.75 per month in discounts. In addition, the...
Nebraska’s new voter identification law, which takes effect in the May 14 statewide primary, requires Nebraska voters to present a photo ID before voting. In an effort to ensure all Nebraskans are prepared, the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office is mailing letters to voters who may not have an acceptable form of photo ID to vote. About 97% of registered voters in Nebraska already have a driver’s license or state ID, according to information from county election offices and the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. The letters are a proac...
Effective communication between patients and health care providers is a key ingredient to ensuring all Nebraskans receive vital services. For some residents, establishing that relationship is difficult because of a language barrier. As immigrant populations continue to grow in rural communities across Nebraska, clinics and hospitals need to prioritize hiring qualified translators. All Medicaid providers in the U.S. are required to provide translation and interpretation services to clients with...
LINCOLN--In week six of the 2024 Nebraska Legislative Session, Nebraska lawmakers continued discussion on LB 1339, a bill that would allow school districts to authorize employed security personnel, law enforcement and members of the U.S. Armed Forces to lawfully carry concealed handguns on school grounds. Initially introduced on Jan. 17 by Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, LB 1339 has garnered attention from both sides of the aisle in the Legislature as well as many Nebraskans and organizations. Speaking on behalf of the Nebraska Council of School Adm...
Nearly 1.2 million Americans live in nursing homes today. The vast majority of those Americans are seniors, people who urgently need the specialized care that long-term nursing facilities provide. That's especially true in small towns, where a greater percentage of the population is over 65. But this fall, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed a rule that could close nursing facilities across rural America. The rule proposed in September has the stated goal of improving care in...
Danelle Charf, 49, of Neligh, was sentenced Monday, Nov. 20, in federal court in Omaha, for making a false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement in connection with health care services. Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr made the announcement Monday afternoon in a press release. Chief Judge Robert F. Rossiter sentenced Charf to two months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Charf’s release from prison, she will begin a three-year term of supervised release. Charf was also ordered to pay $573,337.53 in res...
I don't remember much about my recent 64-block ambulance ride from my house to an urban hospital, but I was told after the fact that it was a matter of a few minutes to keep my body from going into septic shock. The whole incident helped me understand the critical importance of getting rural patients to medical care as quickly as possible. It also speaks volumes about staffing those ambulances with competent medical professionals. That's why I support the efforts of Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams in...
Neligh pharmacist Danelle Charf has pleaded guilty to one count after reaching a plea agreement with the US Attorney’s office on July 20. Charf withdrew her not guilty pleas to counts I-V of an indictment filed in May 2022, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a single count in an information filed July 20 by Assistant US Attorney Kelli Ceraolo - knowingly and willfully making a false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection with delivery and payment for health-care benefits involving Medicare on Oct. 7, 2020. The count carries a m...
This week saw the Legislature continue to work late into the night to complete its business before adjourning in June. Although only a few bills have advanced thus far, a tremendous amount of work is going on behind the scenes by various legislative divisions such as the clerk’s office, transcribers, bill drafters, information technology, research, and committees to ensure bills are ready for the floor. With all the budget bills sitting on final reading, senators spent several days working to p...
The Legislature gave second-round approval to the budget bills this past week. This effort will allow the budget to be read on Final Reading next week, meeting the requirement to have it pass by the 80th legislative day. The budget would provide money for capital construction projects such as the Perkins County Canal Project and a new prison facility. Additional funds are appropriated to cover salary increases recently negotiated with the state employee’s union and for staff at correctional f...
With less than two weeks left in the session, the 108th Legislature is dragging an overburdened $12.975 billion budget to the finish line. Passing the budget is the only thing lawmakers are constitutionally required to accomplish. As introduced by the Appropriations Committee, the budget proposal would result in a projected ending balance of almost $715 million above the 3% required minimum reserve. This amount would be available to fund proposals pending before the Legislature this session....
The Appropriations Committee advanced its finalized recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 biennial budget to the full Legislature. This proposal calls for an average increase of 2.3% in spending over the next two fiscal years. The main differences between the governor's proposal and the Appropriations Committee proposal are that lawmakers included an additional $80 million to increase both (A) the reimbursement rates for providers of Medicaid services by 3% this year and...
This week saw the Legislature pass the first four bills of the year. LB 376 would create a brand registration for the state Liquor Control Commission to accurately identify and track alcoholic products imported into Nebraska. LB 296 would both (a) create a framework for pet insurance and (b) require that the reimbursement rate for any telehealth service shall, at a minimum, be the same as a comparable in-person health care service in order to ensure there is no disincentive to health care...
American Indians face some unique challenges when it comes to caring for their health. Culturally, we view health in a holistic manner as a balance of our bodies, minds and spirits that allows for good health. Historically, women would have knowledge of herbs and men would be spiritual healers. Health care was one of the items guaranteed under the treaties. Initially, health care was overseen by the Army and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Then, Indian Health Service was formed in 1955 to oversee health care. Funding for Indian Health Service...
Three proposals to cover the solution looking for a problem -- voter ID -- have proven to be about as confusing as the proponent’s explanation as to why the idea was necessary. After a lot of listening and a bunch of head scratching, I’m still not convinced. The only thing I know for sure, in Sen. Steve Erdman’s world there would be no mail-in ballots. Tell that to the 11 Nebraska counties that hold mail-only elections right now. Better yet, convince my 85-year -old neighbors that it’s a good idea. I’ve been voting by mail since Covid and...
On Monday morning, a jury trial, for Danelle Charf, 47, of Neligh, was set for Oct. 17, but that changed in the afternoon. The deadline for pretrial motions, originally set for July 18, had been extended to Sept. 16, at the request of Charf’s attorney, Adam J. Sipple with Domina Law Group in Omaha. Sipple failed to file his motions by the deadline. However, on Monday, after the trial date was set, he filed an unopposed motion to extend the deadline to Nov. 14. In explanation, Sipple wrote, “Counsel was attentive to the deadline and had dra...
Danelle Charf, 47, of Neligh appeared before Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson in the United States District courtroom in Omaha last week, for her initial appearance and arraignment on a five-count indictment. The indictment charges Charf with healthcare fraud beginning on or about Oct. 7, 2020, and continuing through Jan. 11, 2021. Charf owns and operates CW, Inc., doing business as Wanek Pharmacy and Tilden Pharmacy. Authorities alleged, in a May 17 indictment, “Charf would fill or cause to be filled at Wanek and Tilden pharmacies with t...
Many major issues were dealt with this past week in the Legislature, with the most significant being the passage of LB 873. When fully implemented, LB 873 will result in almost $900 million in annual tax relief. The legislation sets a floor for the refundable income tax credit of $548 million in 2022 and $560.7 million in 2023. This guarantees an approximate 25% refund for property taxes paid to school districts. Additionally, a similar income tax credit will be implemented for property taxes pa...
