Nevada Health

Breast cancer prevention to reach low-income women in rural Nevada areas
Honorary Chair- Nevada's First Lady, Kathleen Sandoval
Come and support the Mammovan Program!
Enjoy a delicious BBQ, music and door prizes.
Nevada Health Centers thanks you for the spirit of giving!

CARSON CITY – Nevada’s skilled nursing homes avoided the deepest cuts initially proposed by the Sandoval administration to pay for serving Medicaid clients, but the reimbursement rate is still inadequate to cover actual costs, an industry official said today.
The industry is also concerned that any resolution to the federal deficit discussions under way in Washington, DC, could further exacerbate the economic challenges facing it, said Daniel Mathis, chief executive officer of the Nevada Health Care Association.

The Northern Nevada Development Authority is hosting a breakfast meeting on Wednesday, June 29 from 7:00 am – 9:00 am at the Carson Nugget on the topic of health care.

“Creating an Accountable and Affordable Healthcare Delivery System” – Ed Epperson, CEO at Carson-Tahoe Regional Health Care Center will review the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and what it did – and didn’t do – to ensure development of affordable and accountable health care throughout the nation. Epperson will also address trends and challenges that are developing in the health care industry.

Ground was broken Wednesday for the new location of the Sierra Family Health Center that serves Carson City. When complete, the health center will relocate to 3325 Research Way. The ceremony was...

CARSON CITY – Democrats today voted to reject Gov. Brian Sandoval’s proposed budget cuts to Medicaid programs this morning.
The governor would have saved about $90 million in his budget through the reductions. Republicans on the Legislature’s money committees voted to cut the Medicaid budget in line with Sandoval’s recommendations.
The Medicaid funding would help reimburse hospitals and their staff for caring for Medicaid patients.

By Sean Whaley
CARSON CITY – The state’s largest physician advocacy group has sent a letter to Gov. Brian Sandoval and all 63 lawmakers saying that 15 percent cuts in Medicaid reimbursements will make it even more difficult for some Nevadans to receive proper medical care.

Many women in rural Nevada have never had a mammogram. Fear, lack of funds, transportation conflicts, or no insurance are the main reasons women have not protected their health with this breast cancer screening process. Yet, we know that early detection of breast cancer saves lives.

The Mammovan will be visiting Smith’s Food and Drug Store in Carson City on May 15-16, 2011, offering mammograms to geographically isolated and uninsured women. Through the kind support of several organizations, mammograms will be available by appointment, for age and income eligible, at no charge.

A Carson City health care provider has plans to start construction on a 20,000-square-foot building in north Carson City by the end of May. Nevada Health Centers Inc., currently at 907 N. Mounta...

CARSON CITY – Nevada Health and Human Services Director Mike Willden said today he believes the state can reduce Medicaid rates to medical providers as proposed in Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget, but acknowledges the issue is “muddy territory.”
Willden’s view suggests the Medicaid reductions can be imposed without the state being subjected to successful legal challenges based on a recent appeals court ruling.

CARSON CITY – A legal analysis provided to the skilled nursing home industry regarding a proposed Medicaid rate reduction to cover the cost of caring for Nevada’s seniors says the cuts would be a violation of federal law.
The analysis says the proposed reductions of $20 per Medicaid resident per day are being proposed in Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget, “purely as a means to alleviate the budgetary crisis.”

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – An analysis of a cut in Medicaid payments to skilled nursing facilities proposed by Gov. Brian Sandoval paints a sobering picture for the industry and its future in Nevada.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Representatives of Nevada’s skilled nursing home industry say up to five facilities could close and 700 beds lost if a proposal in Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget to cut the Medicaid reimbursement rate by $20 a day per patient comes to pass.
The closures would result in well-paid medical professionals being laid off and joining the ranks of Nevada’s already sizable population of unemployed, industry officials say.

By Thomas G. Chase
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a repeal of Health Reform. Additionally, they passed budget cuts of $1.3 billion to existing funding for Community Health Centers (CHC’s).

Over the last 45 years, CHC’s have grown to provide primary care access to 20 million Americans. Study after study has shown that primary care in a CHC is less expensive and provides more reliable health outcomes than any other alternative for those with access challenges. Who is speaking for the needs of these patients?

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval was briefed on the Japan earthquake and Nevada’s readiness to deal with any local effects from the disaster during a visit today with the state’s emergency responders at the state Emergency Operations Center.

Many women in rural Nevada have never had a mammogram. Fear, lack of funds, transportation conflicts, or no insurance are the main reasons women have not protected their health with this breast cancer screening process. Yet, we know that early detection of breast cancer saves lives.

The Mammovan will be visiting two Carson City locations on March 21-22 and will offer mammograms to geographically isolated and uninsured women. Through the kind support of several organizations, mammograms will be available by appointment, for age and income eligible, at no charge.

CARSON CITY – It’s a rare occurrence that a governor calls a federal law “unconstitutional” one minute and advocates implementing that same law a minute later.

But that’s what happened earlier this week when Gov. Brian Sandoval called for Nevada to move forward with creating the Nevada Health Insurance Exchange, one of the mandates under the Obama administration’s 2010 health care bill.

CARSON CITY – A lawmaker today questioned whether state officials did everything possible to negotiate the lowest cost for a recently approved $177 million Medicaid contract.
Sen. Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, asked Medicaid program Administrator Charles Duarte if the contract with HP Enterprise Services reflects a 10 percent reduction in the cost of state contracts sought by lawmakers to help address Nevada’s current fiscal crisis.

Carl Kuhl, a state Parole and Probation employee of six years, has created a plan that he claims will eliminate Nevada's budget deficit within two years.

In a news release issued on Tuesday, Kuhl said his plan not only will reduce the budget deficit but also help repair Nevada's economy at the same time. It is a pretty big claim, he admits, coming from an Accounting Assistant I, an entry level position.

At least 24 million people in the U.S. struggle with addiction to alcohol and other drugs. The good news is that millions in recovery stand as evidence that there is hope – people can stop using, reconnect with family, and go on to productive, happy lives. The Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey is one group promoting the fact that recovery is possible, prevention works and treatment is effective.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Despite the need for drastic spending reductions to balance Nevada’s budget, the government program that provides health care to the poor continues to expand, consuming a growing share of the state’s scarce state revenues.

Christy McGill likes to use a gardening metaphor when she explains Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey's mission to reduce substance abuse and promote recovery.

“The Coalition is planting the seeds of hope that alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention works, treatment is effective, and people do recover,” said McGill, who serves as director.

A Clark County District Court jury last Friday ordered Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Baxter Healthcare Services to pay a combined $500 million in punitive damages to a Nevada man who contracted Hepatitis C during an outbreak two years ago.
The jury award was the largest in Nevada history.
In a statement issued shortly after the jury reached its decision, Teva said it planned to contest the verdict.  A spokesman for Baxter later confirmed the company will also most likely appeal.

By Quest Lakes

A shortage of a few state health inspectors has come back to cost the state of Nevada many fold what it would have cost to simply have had them on staff.
A final report by the Southern Nevada Health D

President Obama today released a list of low income rural communities around the country that will be receiving huge economic recovery grant funds for expansion of their health care facilities.
And Ca

Nevada Health Centers is challenging Carson City-area businesses to find out who can create the biggest team for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Oct. 4.

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Health professionals and state regulators plan to meet this week in Las Vegas to talk about new requirements for reporting and responding to health care infections.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Southern Nevada health officials say a 33-year-old Clark County man infected with the swine flu virus has died.