Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) (Credit: AP)

Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) voted with all Senate Republicans to block the $120 billion bill.  The measure failed having only received 56 “aye” votes.

Of key concern for hospitals is the enhanced Medicaid funding in the bill that would extend the increased federal share of Medicaid dollars for states.  Iowa’s state budget currently relies on nearly $150 million that would cease to exist should the Senate not pass this legislation.

In addition the bill contains an temporary patch for physician Medicare payments that are currently in limbo.  A flawed payment mechanism in the Medicare program causes physicians to face huge annual cuts that, until now, had been prevented by Congress.  Physician Medicare claims have been held by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for the past week and will likely have to be held longer.

IHA supports this legislation and urges the Senate to take final action to ensure appropriate funding for state budgets and fix the physician payment cuts.

Jennie Edmundson Hospital

IHA staff will travel to Council Bluffs in celebration of the staff of Jennie Edmundson Hospital.  “Jennie Ed” employs nearly 800 people in Council Bluffs and serves a large population in southwest Iowa.

The hospital provides nearly $4.5 million in community benefits, and its employees contribute nearly $22 million to Iowa’s economy through sales taxes.  Jennie Ed is well-known in the state for bringing several busloads of advocates to IHA’s annual Legislative Day event held each February.  Council Bluff’s legislators always hear hospital priorities and positions loud and clear from attendees from the hospital.

The event is part of IHA’s ongoing community hospital celebrations, being  in each of the seven IHA districts, to say thanks to the hospital employees whose dedication to their career and their patients keep Iowa’s health care system strong.

As part of the event, keynote speaker Steve Siemens will provide some words of inspiration, thanking the employees for their hard work and dedication, while throwing in a couple of good one liners and comical anecdotes to keep the mood light and spirits high.

IHA has also created a special video to be shown that highlights the community, the hospital and the staff that keeps Jennie Ed running 24/7.  The event will conclude with t-shirts for each hospital employee and ice cream treats.

Due to a flawed formula, many who use the Medicare Part D prescription drug program do not receive the needed level of benefits leaving them on the hook for much of hte cost of prescription drugs.  The health care reform bill included rebates to beneficiaries affected by this and hopes to offset some of the cost.

The president will also take questions from seniors across the country as well as discuss efforts to combat senior scams and fraud in advance of the first mailing of the rebate checks.  An estimated four million seniors nationwide will receive rebate checks.

The event will be broadcast on C-SPAN and can be seen from the following locations in Iowa:

National Council on Aging
Iowa City Johnson County Senior Center
28 South Linn Street
Iowa City

Alliance for Retired Americans
Machinists Hall
2000 Walker
Des Moines

Alliance for Retired Americans
Black Hawk Labor Temple
1695 Burton Ave
Waterloo

Alliance for Retired Americans
IBEW 405
1211 Wiley Blvd. SW
Cedar Rapids

Cedar Falls Senior Center
528 Main Street
Cedar Falls

Buchanan County Senior Center
400-5th Avenue
Independence

Marshall County Senior Center
20 ½ E. State Street
Marshalltown

Kimball Ridge Senior Center
2101 Kimball Avenue
Waterloo

Gov. Culver: Announces new jobs and state savings up to $1 million
Governor Chet Culver announced today that a company specializing in arranging transportation for Medicaid enrollees will locate its Midwestern headquarters in Des Moines this fall, creating up to 100 jobs and saving the state about $1 million annually. (Iowa Politics.com)

Hancock County Memorial Hospital receives $25,000 bequest
Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt is the recipient of a $25,000 bequest from the estate of the late Raymond O. Barnes, who passed away in October 2009. Barnes left the bequest to the HCMH Board of Trustees to be used for “benevolent purposes.” (Forest City Summit)

U.S. News

$400M CU hospital expansion breaks ground in 2011
The University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora will break ground early next year on a $400 million expansion that the hospital’s board approved last month, according to an announcement Tuesday. (Denver Business Journal)

Target: Reducing costly hospital readmissions in SE PA
On Wednesday a group of hospital administrators, doctors, nurses, nursing home workers and others will gather at the Union League in Philadelphia to launch an initiative aimed at reducing costly readmissions by 10 percent in over the next 18 months. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Insurers paying doctors faster, despite inefficiency
US health insurers are paying doctors seven days faster, on average, and denying 12 to 18 percent fewer claims than last year, but the claims reimbursement system remains saddled with inefficiency, according to a new ranking of payers set to be released today. (Boston Globe)

Settlement ends last legal challenge to balanced billing of patients
A settlement between state regulators and Southern California-based hospital company Prime Healthcare Services has ended the last legal challenge to California’s ban on balanced billing of patients.

Iowa News

Grassley defends Medicare drug benefit, tax cuts
Sen. Chuck Grassley’s campaign manager, Bob Renaud, responded to criticisms leveled in Monday’s forum about Grassley’s support for tax cuts and his role as an architect of the 2003 Medicare prescription drug benefit. Democrat Roxanne Conlin leveled most of the attacks against Grassley, a Republican who seeks his sixth term this fall. (Des Moines Register)

How to recruit more family doctors
After Jacob Hollenbeck’s bath Tuesday evening, the 3-year-old Iowa City boy went to bed complaining of an earache.In the morning, dad Randy brought his son to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Pomerantz Family Pavilion where they met with Dr. Katie Imborek, a second-year resident in the family medicine program. (Iowa City Press Citizen)

U.S. News

Govt warns health insurance industry on mergers
In a blunt warning to the health insurance industry, the Obama administration said Monday it won’t hesitate to block mergers that threaten to stifle competition. Justice Department antitrust chief Christine Varney told a lawyers’ conference that vigorous enforcement of anti-monopoly laws is vital to the success of the new health care law, particularly in trying to control rising premiums. (Associated Press)

 Countdown continues on Minnesota nurses’ strike
Five days after Twin Cities nurses voted to authorize a strike, there’s been little movement on either side. Both sides have publicly declared they would like to return to the negotiating table — to stave off what would be the biggest strike in nursing history if 12,000 Twin Cities nurses walk out of 14 hospitals. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Hospitals in Algona, Clarion, Clarinda, Chariton, Belmond and Sioux Center, just to name a few, are undergoing some changes.

In Algona, a new three-story addition is being added, and should be finished by June. Scott Curtis, CEO of Kossuth Regional Medical Center said the first phase of the hospital’s new construction will be completed in June.

The new addition will allow for private inpatient rooms, each equipped with a full private bath. The addition will also bring about improvements on the first floor of the hospital, restructuring the dining area, kitchen and materials management area.

Curtis said that the new inpatient rooms will also include enhancements aimed at improving patient and staff safety. “We’re also adding new patient lifts to each room to increase patient and staff safety,” Curtis said.

On the exterior, the hospital is adding a healing garden, to provide recreational and scenic space for patients while in recovery.

Kossuth Regional Health Center operates a 24-bed critical access hospital, two physician clinics, home care, hospice and public health nursing agencies.

“We’re excited about the improvements this will bring for our patients and the efficiencies it will bring for our staff,” Curtis said.

The second phase is expected to be completed by December.

Steve Siemens, keynote speaker at Mercy Medical Center-Cedar Rapids

May 9-15 marked the 2010 National Hospital Week and hospitals across Iowa held events and activities to demonstrate that a hospital is more than a place where people go to heal, it is a part of the community that fosters health and represents hope… and also takes a few moments to have some fun!

Mercy Medical Center-Cedar Rapids kicked off its Hospital Week festivities with IHA’s “Iowa Hospital Celebration” and a standing-room-only crowd of more than 100 employees filling the hospital auditorium. Keynote speaker Steve Siemens entertained and motivated staff, thanking them for their hard work and dedication to their hospital.

Free Pizza Day at Monroe County Hospital in Albia

Meanwhile, at Monroe County Hospital in Albia, staff enjoyed “Free Pizza Day” where staff packed cafeteria for the free pizza as well as the annual employee raffle where staff raised more than $1,000 for the employee relief fund and Christmas families fund.

In Mason City, Mercy-North Iowa focused on wellness with free blood pressure screenings for staff, YogaFit classes and campus walks and tours for community members. The hospital also hosted lunch and learns for staff on a variety of topics.

As part of the local celebration at Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, employees organized a donation drive to benefit TAP, a local food bank and assistance program for Crawford County residents. The staff cumulatively raised 850 pounds of necessities and $572 in cash contributions.

Food Drive at Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison

“During National Hospital Week we felt it was important to not only recognize our wonderful employees for the terrific services they provide, but to also demonstrate that our commitment to the community goes beyond health care services,” said Becky Vonnahme, director of public relations and development. “We’re pleased that our staff’s generosity will help make a positive difference for many of our area residents.”

And at Clarinda Regional Medical Center the theme was “Going Green” with cash giveaways, a watermelon seed spitting contest and a watermelon eating contest. They gave “Go Green” t-shirts to all staff to wear on Friday with jeans as they cleaned their work areas – where recycling was encouraged, of course. Smoothies were given to all staff from a local business and the auxiliary brought treats as well.

Watermelon contest at Clarinda Regional Medical Center

The nation’s largest health care event, National Hospital Week dates back to 1921 when it was suggested by a magazine editor who hoped a community-wide celebration would alleviate public fears about hospitals. The celebration, launched in Chicago, succeeded in promoting trust and goodwill among members of the public and eventually spread to facilities across the country.

The rules do not go into effect until September 23, although several insurance companies across the nation, including Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, have elected to implement the policy earlier.

Trends show that patients in the young adult age group are less likely to have insurance, which places burdens on hospitals in areas with high volumes of young adults. Mike Tretina, CFO at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, home to Iowa State University, says that the hospital has budgeted $670,000 in uncompensated care to offset the cost of treating students or other young adults who do not have insurance.

Tretina hopes that the new provision will help to encourage parents to add their children to their coverage to reduce the number of young adults who are uninsured, and thereby reduce uncompensated care costs for hospitals.

Since 2008, Iowa law has allowed young adults up to age 25 to stay on their parents coverage.  The new federal provision adds an additional year, but it’s up to parents and young adults to take advantage of these benefits.

Nationwide, according to a White House fact sheet, estimates show that young adults comprise the largest percentage of uninsured of any age group, with an estimated 1 out of every 5 uninsured American falling in this age group.

National Nurses Day has been in existence since 1965 with its inception by the International Council on Nurses as a day of recognition for some of the health care system’s finest and most dedicated and caring staff members.

Recognizing the dedication and commitment of Iowa nurses, the 6^th Annual “100 Great Iowa Nurses” event was recently held at the Iowa Events Center, showcasing 100 of the best nurses as nominated and selected by their peers from across the state.  Not surprisingly, the vast majority of these nurses work at Iowa’s community hospitals.

We all know a great nurse and today everyone should take the time to thank them for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the patients they serve.  Iowa nurses provide care to patients around the clock in the best and worst of times.  National Nurses Week provides the opportunity to give back by simply saying, “Thank You.”

Here are a few Web sites that offer free, electronic Nurse Day cards to send:

• 123 Greetings
• Blue Mountain
  

U.S. News

More Doctors Are Prescribing Medicines Online
Doctors are increasingly prescribing medications electronically, abandoning the traditional paper scripts that can result in drug errors due to hard-to-read writing or coverage denials by a patient’s insurer. (Wall Street Journal)

Study: More nurses, less death
Ten to 13 percent fewer surgical patients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania would die if hospitals in those states had as many nurses as California law requires, according to a University of Pennsylvania study published Tuesday. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Obama picks Donald Berwick of Harvard to run Medicare and Medicaid
President Obama formally announced Monday his nominee for administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, fulfilling widespread expectations that he would tap Donald Berwick, a Harvard University professor and leading advocate for improving health-care quality and efficiency. (Washington Post)

Doctors pursue House, Senate seats
In an election year dominated by health care, dozens of candidates for Congress have a catchy campaign slogan at their disposal: Send a doctor to the House. (USA Today)