Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 34
Medicare enrollment period begins on Oct. 15, extending through Dec. 7th. Throughout this time, seniors across Greater Nebraska will receive numerous calls and letters urging them to switch to Medicare Advantage plans. While these plans often promote cost savings and added perks, the reality for patients and health care providers can be much different. Patients face delays and higher costs Unlike traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans often require prior approval for care. In fact, nearly all Medicare Advantage enrollees must get prior...
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...
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...
Since we're writers, we, at SAM love lists. Trust us, we keep and use them every single day. But, how does one determine which articles should be at the top of the yearly list? In the past, we've based it by reader count from our website. This year, we're still relying on reader count, featuring the top-read article by month. We wrote nearly 2,000 articles in 2023 and, while some of our favorites don't appear on the list, we're sure these are a newsworthy representation of the Summerland region....
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...
TV is flooded these days with commercials encouraging everyone to sign up for Medicare Advantage. What is MA and why are they doing this? First of all, a bit of history. For more than 30 years, Congress has debated whether the private insurance industry could deliver Medicare benefits more efficiently than the federal government. In 2003, these efforts evolved into what is now known as Medicare Part C or, more commonly, Medicare Advantage. MA plans, operated by private insurance companies, cover...
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...
This month, Antelope Memorial Hospital received both a national and state award for excellence. The hospital was first recognized for the 2023 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in quality and patient perspective as part of the National Rural Health Day celebration. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Award honors top quartile performance (75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals across the United States in quality, outcome and patient pers...
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...
Sentencing for Danelle Charf is continued, on a defense motion, to Nov. 20, at 1:30 p.m. Charf is set to appear before Chief Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. in Courtroom 4, Roman L. Hruska Federal Courthouse, 111 South 18th Plaza, Omaha. Rossiter approved the continuance Oct. 23. Charf 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...
Diabetic expertise, personalized care and fewer diabetic complications may all be found at Antelope Memorial Hospital. This month, the AMH Diabetes Education Program was awarded continued recognition and certification from the American Diabetes Association. AMH was originally certified for the award in May 2002. The education recognition status is awarded for four years. The ADA recognition signifies that Antelope Memorial Hospital meets national standards for diabetes patient education and has...
Assuring effective health care to a population is a challenge for every society. As care options become more complex – and expensive – the challenges increase. In the US, both the organization and financing of health care are perennial issues in public discussions, political campaigns and among social policy researchers. Basically there are two distinct, but intimately related, concerns: providing access to care and paying for that care. There is widespread agreement that when folks are sic...
High costs and shortages of pharmaceuticals are serious, ongoing issues. Drug prices in the US are among the highest in the world. A recent survey by the Rand Corporation looked at drug prices in 32 developed countries. US prices were the highest in the group and were more than twice the average of prices in other countries. What is especially troubling is that the products sold in many of these countries are the same drugs produced by the same manufacturers as those sold in the US at much higher prices. When it comes to drug prices, consumers...
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...
MINUTES OF MEETING VILLAGE OF EWING BOARD OF TRUSTEES May 8, 2023 The Ewing Village Board of Trustees convened in regular session on May 8, 2023, at 7 p.m. at the city hall. Notice of the meeting was published April 3, 2023, in the “Summerland Advocate-Messenger.” An agenda was kept current and on file at the village clerk’s office. Chairman, James Ramold, called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Notice was given to the posted location of the open meetings law. Board members present were Dustin Jorgensen, Dustin Wright, Katie Cunningham and James...
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...
"Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, resulting in approximately 697,000 deaths each year,"according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is important to know an individual may reduce risks by addressing the "controllable" risk factors. They include targeting comorbidity conditions, avoiding tobacco use, maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising routinely and controlling stress. High blood pressure, considered the "silent killer," is...
At my house, classic TV is a given. My 93-year-old father-in-law enjoys watching reruns of westerns, Perry Mason, Andy Griffith and Gomer Pyle. With these old favorites come commercials targeting an aging population: Medicare Advantage plans, reverse mortgages, and miracle solutions for neuropathy, with free consultations for the first 250 people who call. Every time we see one of these neuropathy advertisements, my father-in-law looks at me hopefully. His neuropathic foot pain has been...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF EWING BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dec, 14, 2022 The Ewing Village Board of Trustees convened in regular session on Dec. 14, 2022, at 4 p.m., at the city hall. Notice of the meeting was published Dec. 7, 2022, in the “Summerland Advocate-Messenger.” An agenda was kept current and on file at the village clerk’s office. Chairman James Ramold, called the meeting to order at 4 p.m. Notice was given to the posted location of the open meetings law. Board members present were Dustin Jorgensen, Dustin Wright, Kane Fry and Ramold. Absen...
State Health Insurance Assistance Program volunteer, Danielle Van Buren, director of AMH social services, assists area seniors with Medicare Part D comparisons and enrollment for next year. Open enrollment ends on Dec. 7. For an appointment with Danielle, call 402-887-6212 today!...
VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER APPROVED CLAIMS General Checking: Grimes Asphalt, srv, 101,400.00; Automated Dairy, reimb, 1,777.00; Gerhold Concrete Co., sup, 1,978.54; Bomgaars, sup, 133.90; Reinke’s Farm & City Service, sup, 303.18; US Post Office, sup, 56.40; EMC Insurance, ins, 3,433.41; WEX Bank, fuel, 911.99; Eakes Office Solutions, sup, 132.77; NNTC, util, 159.41; Farmers Pride, fuel, 423.87; Neligh Auto & Machine, sup, 114.86; ColdType Publishing, adv, 309.81; Lichtenberg Tire Pros, sup, 795.60; Applied Connective Tech, srv, 72.50; ERPPD, u...
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...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF EWING BOARD OF TRUSTEES March 14, 2022 The Ewing Village Board of Trustees convened in regular session on March 14, 2022, at 7 p.m., at the City Hall. Notice of the meeting was published March 9, 2022, in the Summerland Advocate. An agenda was kept current and on file at the village clerk’s office. Chairman James Ramold called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Notice was given to the posted location of the open meetings law. Board members present were Kane Fry, Dustin Jorgensen, Dustin Wright, and James Ramold. Absent was B...
MINUTES OF MEETING VILLAGE OF EWING BOARD OF TRUSTEES February 14, 2022 The Ewing Village Board of Trustees convened in regular session, Feb.14, 2022, at 7 p.m., at the city hall. Notice of the meeting was published Feb. 9, 2022, in the Summerland Advocate-Messenger. An agenda was kept current and on file at the village clerk’s office. Chairman James Ramold called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Notice was given to the posted location of the open meetings law. Board members present were Kane Fry, Bill Graber and James Ramold. Absent were Dustin...
