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GBPCA's Study of Nevada's Uninsured Populations has been released as of February 9, 2009.

Click here for the full report!

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Governor Gibbons has proclaimed

February 17, 2009

 Safety Net
Provider Day!

 

"...traditionally, fiscal conservatives say, “I’m a hardworking person and I don’t want all these poor people sucking money from my pocket.” But if things keep going the way they are, more people will see that it’s not us versus them. All of us are going to be challenged. It will be just us.” 


by Dr.  Carl Heard, Chief Medical Officer, Nevada Health Centers

The 75th session of the Nevada Legislature begins on February 2, 2009.

This is not the first time Nevada has faced the enormous financial challenges related to health care.  As we moved into our 2009 Legislative Session, we must preserve the "seeds" that have been so carefully nourished throughout the last few decades.  Community Health Centers are one of the most valuable and delicate seeds in our state. 

As a wise old farmer once said:
“Don’t eat the seeds - no matter how hungry you get. 
You are going to need them when the rains come again -- and they will come again."

Priority Focus - Access for All Nevadans

We support policy areas that will strengthen and expand Nevada's Community Health Centers and healthcare safety-net.  These centers serve all people, regardless of their ability to pay in the most cost-effective way.  They provide a primary care home to thousands of Nevadans.  They serve us all with comprehensive and quality care.   We not only need to strengthen and preserve these centers - we need more of them. 

In the economic environment today, the growing number of us who have lost our health care insurance can rely on our Community Health Centers.  Policy issues that keep them financially viable with quality health care professionals at work is the priority. 

1. Support restoring Medicaid and Nevada Check-Up resources to an optimal level to ensure the qualifying uninsured have insurance coverage.  By doing so, more resources will be available to provide care to the growing population of other uninsured Nevadans—including working individuals and families.  This means restoring fair rates to providers and hospitals to ensure access to quality care for Nevadan’s in these public insurance programs.  Not leaving federal match dollars on the table is imperative!

2. Support the creation of a simplified on-line Medicaid and Nevada Check Up application as well as an eligibility system that will allow in-clinic approval of such applications. This will save many man hours from the current manual system; hasten the process of caring for eligible patients — providing cost-savings preventative care and critical chronic disease management more timely. 

3. Support policies that help to make Nevada a more friendly and competitive environment to attract competent healthcare professionals without sacrificing quality.  This includes supporting regulation changes in concert with the healthcare professional boards.

4. Restore and grow the medical student loan-repayment program—especially for our rural residents who are served through this process.

5. Support policies to assist quality of Nevada’s healthcare systems such as statutory authority for a state oral health program;  renewal of the State Academy of Health ; and statutory authority for the Office of Consumer Health.  These safety-net support programs among others offer quality assistance to our healthcare safety-net.

February 17th - 18th
SAFETY NET PROVIDER DAYS
(click the link above for more details!)
During  Safety-Net Provider Days, members and our safety-net partners and stakeholders became the one-voice campaign to raise the priority of healthcare in Nevada.  Individual meetings were held throughout the two days between legislators and teams of representatives. Thank You to all who participated!

Join the campaign - click the logo for more information!