LINCOLN - Nebraska’s nurses, nursing homes, assisted living centers, behavioral health providers, medical clinics, rural care providers, and people serving those with developmental disabilities all are seeking funding boosts, a legislative committee heard Tuesday, February 22.
Those seven bills seek to spend a combined $294.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds if they are approved. The Appropriations Committee heard different cases to ease staffing and funding challenges for Nebraska's health care system.
Legislative Bill 1055, proposed by Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha, would spend $50 million in federal relief funds for hospitals and federally qualified medical providers to offer bonuses and increased pay to "front-line" nurses caring for patients. By implementing LB1055, 20,000 of Nebraska's nurses would receive about $2,000 each.
Legislative Bill 1089, proposed by Sen. John Stinner, would set aside $60 million in federal relief funds to help nursing homes boost pay for direct-care employees. $45 million of those funds would be put towards Medicaid beds and would concentrate $15 million on nursing homes with the most residents funded by Medicaid.
Legislative Bill 1269, proposed by Sen. Dave Murman, would allocate $10 million in federal relief funds to help benefit medical professionals repay their student loans in rural areas.
Legislative Bill 1183, proposed by Sen. Ray Aguilar, would create $25 million in grants for the outpatient community clinics that serve Nebraska's neediest patients. The grants would be used on clinic-related construction projects.
Legislative Bill 1066, proposed by Sen. John Stinner, would set aside $5 million in federal money for the addition of new mental health beds in rural Nebraska and $28 million for the University of Nebraska's Behavioral Health Education Center.
Legislative Bill 1172, proposed by Sen. Robert Hilkemann of Omaha, would allocate $111 million in federal funds, or $37 million a year for three years, to help DHHS pay more to providers who serve people with developmental disabilities and would help offset COVID-19 related losses and cost increases.
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