Latest news with #FirstFiveNebraska
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A range of opposition rises to Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen's budget bills
Child care advocates were among those testifying at a public hearing Tuesday on Gov. Jim Pillen's two-year budget request. (Courtesy of First Five Nebraska) LINCOLN — From child care to tourism to banking, housing and wildlife, advocates of various Nebraska industries spoke in opposition Tuesday of Gov. Jim Pillen budget bills. Sixteen people voiced objections to the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, while Pillen's state budget administrator Neil Sullivan defended recommendations aimed in part at addressing a $432 million state shortfall over the next two years. Mark McHargue of the Nebraska Farm Bureau spoke in a 'neutral' capacity, saying he was not making a blanket endorsement but was in full support of the governor's effort to put more state funds toward property tax relief. People who wrote in opposition to Legislative Bills 260 through 264, all introduced on Pillen's behalf by Speaker John Arch of La Vista, totaled 135. Three wrote in support of the proposals that were the topic of a combined public hearing at the State Capitol. Tuesday's hearing — the first of several opportunities the public will have over the next few weeks to speak on the state budget — offered a glimpse at budget-balancing challenges the governor and lawmakers face from diverse interests. Drew Larsen, representing Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, and Katie Torpy of Ducks Unlimited and the Nature Conservancy, were among several who objected to Pillen's recommendation to redirect funds from the Nebraska Environmental Trust to other purposes such as park improvements. They said such diversions betray the intent of Nebraska voters, who in 1992 approved a state lottery. A portion of lottery proceeds was to go to the Trust, which awards grants on a competitive basis to projects that 'conserve, enhance and restore the natural environments of Nebraska.' 'We urge the Legislature to reject these bills and stand with Nebraska voters, conservationists and communities in protecting the integrity of the Trust,' Torpy said. Carol Bodeen, representing associations for the Nebraska Housing Developers and Nebraska Economic Developers, stood up against redirecting $8 million from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and $2 million from the Rural Workforce Housing Investment Fund to the general fund. Benjamin Dennis, representing the Nebraska Advocacy Group (NAG) and a group of rural telecom and broadband providers, stood against the repeal of the Broadband Bridge Act he said was created by the Legislature in 2021 to provide $20 million annually in grants to improve access to Internet service. Meghan Chaffee, representing the Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn, objected to reducing by $1.5 million a year the Rural Health Provider Incentive Program, which helps reduce education debt of qualified health professionals who agree to practice in Nebraska. Also among testifiers was Jen Goettemoeller Wendl, representing First Five Nebraska, which opposes the transfer of $3.25 million from the Early Childhood Education Endowment Cash fund to the Education Future Fund. She said the Early Childhood fund was created in 2006, and built on a private donation match that established a $60 million endowment. It is 'problematic, possibly not legally permissible,' Goettemoeller Wendl said, to remove money from the fund and transfer it elsewhere. 'Eroding trust in public private partnerships is not in the state's best interest,' she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Nebraska Prenatal Plus Program, new Medicaid reimbursements take effect
Testifiers who supported the Nebraska Prenatal Plus Program after its hearing, from left: Marion Miner of the Nebraska Catholic Conference, Sara Howard of First Five Nebraska, Sarah Maresh of Nebraska Appleseed, Dr. Ann Anderson Barry of the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative, Sen. George Dungan, Chad Abresch senior adviser for CityMatCH and Scout Richters of the ACLU of Nebraska. Feb. 7, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — Medicaid-eligible pregnant mothers in Nebraska officially have access to new reimbursements for various prenatal services to help prevent low birth weights, preterm births and adverse birth outcomes. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday the full implementation of the Nebraska Prenatal Plus Program. The law, passed 45-0 in Legislative Bill 857 of 2024, was led by State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln. Prenatal Plus mirrors similar successful programs in Colorado and Florida and is designed for at-risk mothers, as identified by their prenatal health care provider. Five services are provided and eligible for reimbursement under the Nebraska program: Up to six sessions of nutrition counseling. Psychosocial counseling and support. General client education and health promotion. Breastfeeding support. Targeted case management. At-risk mothers who are in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are currently not eligible for Nebraska Prenatal Plus, which was done in part to help reduce the fiscal impact of the law and get it over the finish line. Dungan said the program has been a long time coming and will benefit many people. He encouraged his colleagues to continue supporting the program, including its annual report on the number of mothers served, services offered and birth outcomes for each mother served. 'I'm just excited to see the program getting off the ground,' Dungan said Wednesday. Long term, the program is expected to reduce Medicaid costs because of upfront targeted care. Dungan said the goal is all about 'healthy moms and healthy babies.' 'I think we're going to see better educational outcomes. We're going to see better behavioral health outcomes,' Dungan said. 'All of these things can be tied back to being healthy at birth and in prenatal care.' The legislation had a broad array of support, including Nebraska Appleseed, ACLU of Nebraska, Nebraska Right to Life, Nebraska Catholic Conference, Nebraska State Board of Health, Nebraska Hospital Association and Nebraska Nurses Association. Dungan's LB 857 also included legislation from State Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, LB 933, to require Medicaid to cover continuous glucose monitors for individuals with gestational diabetes. The Bosn-Dungan programs were estimated to cost $3.4 million in state cash funds and $5.5 million from the federal government in the first full fiscal year of operation. Former State Sen. Sara Howard, policy adviser for First Five Nebraska, a nonprofit that advocates for early childhood support and education, helped craft the Nebraska Prenatal Plus law. She said it was crucial for mothers and children and the state as a whole. 'The rollout of the Prenatal Plus Program represents an important step forward by offering a variety of supports to women throughout their pregnancies, ensuring better health outcomes for moms and babies statewide,' Howard said in a text. 'We are deeply grateful to Senator Dungan for his leadership and hard work to make Prenatal Plus a reality.' Starting Jan. 1, the state also began covering, for Medicaid-eligible mothers or their children, electronic personal-use breast pumps and at least 10 lactation consultation visits. Former State Sen. Jen Day of Omaha led those changes as part of LB 1215 last year. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
