HEALTH NEWS JDRF Invites Community to Commemorate National Diabetes Awareness Day, Month
CHAD Celebrates 30+ Years of Partnering with United Way of the Midlands
JDRF is asking the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metro community to join them in commemorating National Diabetes Awareness Month throughout November and World Diabetes Day on November 14. The goal is to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and the urgent need to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat T1D and its associated complications. Go Blue with JDRF on November 14 to help raise awareness of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes by wearing blue, taking a photo of yourself, and sharing it on social media using #GoBlueforJDRF! Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes both children and adults suddenly when their pancreas stops producing insulin—a hormone their bodies need to get energy from the food they eat. It has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle, and people with T1D are dependent on injected or pumped insulin to survive. About 40,000 people are diagnosed each year in the United States. JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes research. JDRF was founded in 1970, and the local chapter currently serves Nebraska and Iowa. The chapter has sustained an impressive track record in community outreach, public awareness, advocacy, and raising funds for T1D research. To learn more, visit jdrf.org/nebraskaiowa and follow them on social media (@JDRFNebraskaSWIowa).
The Combined Health Agencies Drive (CHAD) is celebrating more than 30 years of partnering with the United Way of the Midlands. Having begun working together in 1987, this partnership is playing a particularly vital role in these health-stressed COVID-19 times. Through workplace giving, the organizations are able to provide valuable support for those in need. “Health is the one cause that affects absolutely everyone in the world regardless of their demographic, as we’ve seen with the pandemic,” said CHAD CEO Michelle Grossman. “We are the only drive in the state that focuses solely on health issues that affect us all, but our friends, family and neighbors facing health challenges need support from United Way’s funded partners, too. That’s why we’re so grateful for this partnership. It truly provides one unified voice and asks for the largest health and human services campaign to serve the community in such a critical time.” CHAD is a local, donor-driven organization that has been raising funds for Nebraska’s premier health charities for more than 40 years. Since its inception, CHAD has raised $59.7 million for charities supporting those in need in our community. Valuable donations help Omaha citizens in need by providing care and support for those affected by a health diagnosis; funding education and prevention programs in our community; and supporting advocacy and medical research. For more information, visit chadnebraska.com, call (402) 614-8500, or follow them on social media (@CHADNebraska).
BioLife Plasma Services Announces Opening of First Plasma Collection Center in Nebraska BioLife Plasma Services, part of the global biopharmaceutical company Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, opened a new plasma collection center in Omaha, 275 N 78th St., on October 24 to collect standard plasma from healthy donors. The Omaha center is approximately 11,330 square feet, and the state-of-the-art facility provides access to free Wi-Fi and a clean, professional, smoke-free environment. The new center is the first BioLife center to open in Nebraska and expects to bring more than 50 new jobs to the community. “Now, more than ever, donors in the Omaha area have a unique opportunity to make a difference in the community through plasma donation, and we are deeply committed to making treatment options available for patients who rely on plasma-derived medications,” said Jacy Cizek, manager of the BioLife Plasma Services Omaha center. “Plasma is a lifeline for thousands of people with rare, chronic and complex diseases, and we are excited to open the first BioLife plasma collection center in Nebraska.” Through a simple, low-risk process called plasmapheresis, plasma is separated from the blood and the blood elements are returned back into the donor’s body. Screened plasma collected from healthy individuals is processed into a wide variety of therapeutics for people around the world with rare, life-threatening diseases, such as immunodeficiency disorders, hemophilia, and hereditary angioedema. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BioLife Plasma Services has implemented additional screening and safety measures in line with public health guidance to help guarantee the safety and health of donors and employees, as well as the safety of the collected plasma. All donors will need to wear a mask or other cloth face covering inside a BioLife Plasma center. To learn more about BioLife Plasma Services, the donation process, and to schedule an appointment, please visit www.biolifeplasma.com. 36 Strictly Business NOVEMBER 2020
Medica Introduces Group Health Coverage to Nebraska Medica is expanding its health coverage offerings to support employers throughout the state of Nebraska and three border counties in Iowa. By bringing group coverage to Nebraska, Medica now offers health insurance in three distinct markets: individual coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare and employer-sponsored group coverage. Medica group coverage is available across Nebraska and three Iowa counties (Harrison, Mills, and Pottawattamie) beginning January 1, 2021. The health insurer has offered individual coverage in those areas since 2016. It began offering Medicare coverage in Nebraska in 2019. A key benefit of Medica’s group plans is a $25 cap on member costs for a one-month supply of insulin. Starting in 2021, Medica’s individual plan members in Nebraska with ACA coverage also will pay no more than $25 for a one-month supply of insulin. Medica is making this essential benefit available at a low cost to ensure diabetics have access to insulin, which has been increasing in price at an unsustainable rate. Addressing the issue, Nebraska lawmakers last year introduced bills that would cap insulin at $100 per prescription. Medica group products feature a variety of provider network options. It has created an open access network with established health systems and providers throughout the state of Nebraska to ensure high quality, efficient care is delivered to its members. The network also includes a large national network. In many larger Nebraska cities, including Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, and Kearney, Medica has created in partnership with CHI Health an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) product for its group members. The organizations have been in a similar partnership for ACA members since 2018 and Medicare members since 2019. Medica currently has about 47,000 members in the ACO products with CHI Health. To learn more, visit medica.com. #PrintProudDigitalSmart
