The Board of Regents today heard a proposal to raise in-state tuition by three-and-a-half percent for undergraduate students at each of Iowa’s three public universities.
If the board approves the plan next month, the base tuition rate would increase by around 300 dollars at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.
The move comes after the legislature denied a request for an increase of 32 million dollars in state support for the universities. Instead the budget keeps general funding flat for next year.
A summary of the tuition plan argues the increase is necessary to keep up with inflation and rising operational costs.
Today marks the end of the federal public health emergency for COVID-19.
This means the federal government will no longer buy COVID at-home tests, vaccinations and treatments to give to the public.
The cost for these things will now go through Iowans’ health insurance plans. Though federal officials say those who are uninsured can continue to get free vaccinations – and some treatments – through next year.
Additionally, Iowans still have access to free testing through the state’s Test Iowa program for now, according to its website.
The end of the federal declaration comes more than a year after Gov. Kim Reynolds ended Iowa’s Public Health Disaster Emergency Proclamation in February of 2022.
The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved a draft for the updated five-year construction and improvement plan.
A dozen projects were delayed statewide. However, work on bridges was a top priority.
The proposal includes spending $20 million on the Gordon Drive Viaduct project that is scheduled to start in 2027.
New wind turbine setback distances from city limits and protected areas are in the process of being approved by the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors. Check out the full story from the Sioux City Journal.
Two people are dead and a third person is critically injured after a South Dakota police chase at speeds over 100 mph ended when the fleeing vehicle crashed into a semi. Yankton County Sheriff Preston Crissey said the chase began around 10 a.m. Wednesday when a driver refused to stop after a state trooper tried to stop their vehicle on state Highway 50 outside Yankton. The fleeing vehicle struck a semitrailer truck and crashed near the Yankton city limits. Two of the people in the vehicle died at the scene and the third person was rushed a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Their names and ages were not immediately released. The highway was closed for several hours while authorities cleaned up the wreck.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting with an investigation into the death of a child in Ida County earlier this month, according to Siouxland News CBS/FOX 44.
The agency says that the child was found unresponsive at a home in Battle Creek last Thursday and taken to Children's Hospital in Omaha, where the child died the next day.
An autopsy was performed by the Iowa State Medical Examiner last Saturday, but the cause and manner of death have not been released.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is wrapping up a year-long investigation that identified connections between Mexican drug cartels and communities in Iowa and elsewhere. Check out the full story from Radio Iowa.
The Iowa Department of Ag and Land Stewardship is extending a food assistance program.
The Iowa Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program was launched last June.
The organization announced Wednesday it will extend it through May 2025.
It totals over $5.6 million in funding.
The program aims to help purchase and distribute Iowa-grown food for those in most need.
The Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to a California animal cruelty law that affects the pork industry. The justices ruled that the case was properly dismissed by lower courts. Pork producers had said that the law could force industry-wide changes and raise the cost of bacon and other pork products nationwide. California’s law requires more space for breeding pigs, and producers say it would force the $26 billion-a-year industry to change its practices even though pork is produced almost entirely outside California. The justices upheld lower court rulings dismissing the pork producers’ case.
A California peace activist who has worked to remove land mines from war-torn regions and replace them with grape vines, fruit trees and vegetables has been named the 2023 World Food Prize laureate. The foundation awarded its annual prize Thursday at a ceremony in Washington to Heidi Kühn. Kühn’s nonprofit organization Roots of Peace has helped remove thousands of mines and assist farmers in more than a half-dozen countries. It is now beginning work in Ukraine. Kühn says she came up with the idea of starting her group after hosting an event for dignitaries advocating for the eradication of land mines.
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SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT HONORS RETIREES WITH 1,000 YEARS OF COMBINED SERVICE
Sioux City, IA – With 1,000 years of combined service in the field of education, 48 Sioux City Community School District employees were honored and celebrated at a retirement dinner held Wednesday, May 10 at Morningside STEM Elementary School.
Sioux City Community School District Retirees Include:
- Philip Hamman, Teacher at East High School, 37 Years
- Jeffery Kunkel, Maintenance Mechanic at Operations & Maintenance, 36 Years
- Cindy Joffer, Teacher at VIBE Academy, 35 Years
- Kathy Erickson, Registrar at North High School, 34 Years
- Jeffery Barrett, Painter at Operations & Maintenance, 33 Years
- Lisa Becker, Teacher at East High School, 32 Years
- Victoria Behrens, Instructional Assistant at East High School, 32 Years
- Robert Duncan, Teacher at Leeds Elementary School, 32 Years
- Jody Vondrak, Teacher at Morningside STEM Elementary School, 32 Years
- Susan Hoversten, Home School Teacher at Clark Early Childhood Center, 31 Years
- Roxann Murphy, Building Service Technician at Clark Early Childhood Center, 31 Years
- Karen Evans, Teacher at Morningside STEM Elementary School, 30 Years
- Patrick Schiltz, Teacher at Boys & Girls Home, 30 Years
- Charles Shanafelt, Teacher at Leeds Elementary School, 29 Years
- Mary Dermit, Teacher at the Sioux City Career Academy, 28 Years
- Nancy Treft, Nurse at East High School, 28 Years
- Leesa Parker, Instructional Assistant at Riverside Elementary School, 28 Years
- Nancy Bower, TAG Coach at Morningside STEM Elementary School, 27 Years
- Sandra Heimgartner, Teacher at Bryant Elementary School, 27 Years
- Randy Merrigan, Head Mechanic at Operations & Maintenance, 27 Years
- Kevin Morton, Carpenter at Operations & Maintenance, 26 Years
- Steve Cunningham, Counselor at Morningside STEM Elementary School, 25 Years
- Lori Evers, Office Manager at Morningside STEM Elementary School, 25 Years
- Kathryn Sitzmann, Teacher at Liberty Elementary School, 25 Years
- Flora Teska, Teacher at West Middle School, 25 Years
- Karlys Gries, Teacher at Perry Creek Elementary School, 23 Years
- James Wikstrom, Building Service Technician at Sunnyside Elementary School, 22 Years
- Sandi Jaques, Building Service Technician at West Middle School, 21 Years
- Amy Moeller, Teacher at East Middle School, 20 Years
- Diane Feste, Teacher at Nodland Elementary School, 19 Years
- Robett Mesmer, Bus Driver at Operations & Maintenance, 19 Years
- Mindy Hein, Teacher at North High School, 18 Years
- Cynthia Langseth, Food Service at Hunt A+ Arts Elementary School, 17.5 Years
- Tracy Keefer, Teacher at East High School, 17 Years
- Cynthia Pieper, Teacher at Morningside STEM Elementary School, 17 Years
- Lisa Franco, Instructional Assistant at East High School, 16 Years
- Cynthia Tudehope, Teacher at Loess Hills Computer Programming Elementary School, 16 Years
- Freida Lair, Bus Driver at Operations & Maintenance, 14 Year
- Lisa Larson, Food Service at North High School, 13 Years
- Debra Schutt, Library Assistant at Leeds Elementary School, 13 Years
- Gina Hasler, Food Service at Clark Early Childhood Center, 12 Years
- Terry Jones, Building Service Technician at Perry Creek Elementary School, 12 Years
- Jeanne Heilman, Building Service Technician at Unity Elementary School, 10 Years
- Cathy Dailey, Instructional Assistant at West High School, 9 Years
- Janet Murphy, Instructional Assistant at Leeds Elementary School, 9 Years
- Larry Brockshus, Teacher at the Sioux City Career Academy, 8 Years
Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Expires Today
Lincoln – The Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 declared under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS) is set to expire by the end of today, May 11. Nebraska ended its COVID-19 PHE on June 30, 2021.
In anticipation of the expiration of the federal PHE, the Division of Public Health has aligned COVID-19 data monitoring and response efforts with other respiratory illnesses.
“DHHS will continue moving forward with providing Nebraskans with the best services possible and do our best to empower people to live their best lives,” said CEO Dannette R. Smith.
Medicaid & Long-Term Care (MLTC) will also end flexibilities that were introduced to help providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following flexibilities will end after May 11:
- Annual physical examinations for long-term care residents will be required to be conducted in-person by November 11, 2023.
- Hospice aides will need to have supervisory visits by registered nurses at least every 14 days.
- Pregnancy-only providers will no longer be allowed to make presumptive eligibility determinations for anyone other than pregnant mothers.
- Fee-for-service providers are no longer allowed to extend prior authorizations that existed before the pandemic started through to the end of the pandemic without requiring follow-up visits.
- Providers will need to revalidate their agreement with Nebraska Medicaid prior to the end date of their enrollment.
- Beginning July 1, 2023, pre- and post-enrollment site visits will need to be completed in-person.
The following flexibilities will end after June 30:
- Nebraska Medicaid will no longer pay the waiver rate to an assisted living facility (ALF) if a resident was temporarily transferred out of the facility to quarantine in another ALF or a skilled nursing facility if the ALF held the resident’s place.
- Bed-hold days will return to the pre-PHE standard of a maximum of 15 days and for hospitalization only.
- LTC facility transfers will return to the pre-PHE standard.
Additionally, cost-sharing, including copayments/copays and premiums, will continue to be waived for members of Nebraska Medicaid until June 1, 2024.
Nebraska Medicaid to Hold Weekly Public Webinars on the Public Health Unwinding
LINCOLN- As part of the return to regular eligibility operations, Nebraska Medicaid has held weekly virtual meetings to provide information and answer questions. For the last three years, members who were validly enrolled got to keep their Medicaid coverage even if they were no longer eligible. The regular rules are restarting, and information is being provided explaining what that means to members.
For the foreseeable future, Nebraska Medicaid will continue to hold these weekly virtual meetings.
These meetings will take place on Mondays from noon to 1 p.m. CST.
On May 22, 2023, Director Kevin Bagley will join representatives from Nebraska Medicaid to discuss the information presented in the unwind dashboard.
The meetings can be accessed by using the following link:
Join by phone: 408-418-9388 (access code: 2490 348 9887)
Previous meetings are posted online and can be found at https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Medicaid-MOE.aspx.
Background
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicaid members have kept Medicaid coverage even if they are no longer eligible. Following the recent passage of federal legislation, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has restarted regular reviews of members’ Medicaid eligibility.
Nebraska Medicaid began full redeterminations of member eligibility on March 1, 2023. It will take approximately 12 months to review all members’ eligibility. A member can contact ACCESSNebraska to find out which month their renewal will take place.
What this means for Medicaid members
A Medicaid member’s eligibility is generally rechecked every 12 months. If sufficient information is already available to confirm a member is still eligible, the member is automatically renewed. If information is needed from a member to confirm eligibility, a written request for information is mailed.
It is important that a member makes sure their contact information with DHHS is up to date. Contact information includes:
- Mailing address
- Email address
- Phone number
If a member’s contact information is not up to date, a member might not receive a request for information. If a member does not respond to a request, they may unnecessarily lose their Medicaid coverage.
It is also important that a member makes sure that they let DHHS know of any major life changes that could affect their eligibility. These include:
- A change in address
- A change in income or resources
- A change in the household, including marriage, divorce, pregnancy, or a new child
A member can contact DHHS by visiting ACCESSNebraska.ne.gov or by calling ACCESSNebraska at:
- Omaha: (402) 595-1178
- Lincoln: (402) 473-7000
- Toll-Free: (855) 632-7633
- TDD: (402) 471-7256