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Scammers reportedly targeting patients after cyberattack impacts Nebraska hospitals • Nebraska Examiner

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Scammers reportedly targeting patients after cyberattack impacts Nebraska hospitals • Nebraska Examiner


LINCOLN — Nebraska hospital patients should be aware of scammers as some have sought to capitalize after a cyberattack on one of the nation’s largest health care technology companies.

The Nebraska Hospital Association said Monday that it has received reports of scammers contacting patients after the Feb. 21 attack on Change Healthcare, which most Nebraska hospitals use for financial and clinical authorization services. 

Scammers are claiming to be hospital representatives from Nebraska or surrounding areas, NHA said, telling patients they’re entitled to a full refund if they provide their credit card number.

“Nebraskans need to be vigilant for both them and their family members,” Jeremy Nordquist, president of the NHA, said in a statement. “If you are at all skeptical regarding the nature of a phone call, hang up and call your hospital directly.”

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NHA said Nebraska hospitals will never ask for a credit card number by phone to initiate a refund of payment.

The hospital association said last week that patients may experience longer wait times for authorizations for procedures and delays in resolution of claims.

Affected hospital procedures include:

  • Prior authorizations for pharmaceuticals, procedures and surgeries.
  • Insurance verification for inpatient stays.
  • Precise cost estimates for patients.
  • Patient billing.

“Our hospitals are doing their best to manage through these challenges as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Nordquist said last week.

Brian Noonan, a spokesperson for the association, said the longer problems continue, the more likely there will be longer wait times. Different hospitals will experience different impacts. 

Some of the bigger facilities impacted, according to Noonan:

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  • Regional West (Scottsbluff).
  • Faith Regional (Norfolk).
  • CHI Health.
  • Methodist.
  • Columbus Community Hospital.



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Nebraska baseball falls to 16th-ranked Kansas

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Nebraska baseball falls to 16th-ranked Kansas


LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – The Nebraska baseball team lost to Kansas 9-7 on Tuesday in front of a record crowd at Hoglund Park. The Huskers took an early lead on an RBI single by National Freshman of the Week Drew Grego. After giving up three unanswered runs, Nebraska rallied to go back in front on a 3rd-inning single by Will Jesske. Both Grego and Jesske finished with two hits in the game.

Kansas, however, took control in the middle innings. The Jayhawks got home runs from Tyson Owens and Josh Dykoff in the sixth frame. Both round-trippers came off NU relief pitcher Ty Horn. Kansas added insurance in the 7th inning before a late rally by the Huskers.

Nebraska trimmed a five-run deficit to two, but couldn’t complete the comeback on the road.

The Huskers’ loss is their second to the Jayhawks this season. Nebraska’s record drops to 31-10 overall.

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Will Bolt’s team returns to action on Friday at Illinois. Game one is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Champaign.

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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.



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Nebraska jumps up to No. 2 in college softball Power 10 rankings

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Nebraska jumps up to No. 2 in college softball Power 10 rankings


Softball

April 21, 2026

Nebraska jumps up to No. 2 in college softball Power 10 rankings

April 21, 2026

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Check out Michella Chester’s updated college softball Power 10 rankings for the week of April 21, which sees Nebraska rise to No. 2 behind an 11-game win streak.



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Mental health by the numbers in Nebraska

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Mental health by the numbers in Nebraska


OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A deeper look tonight as First Alert 6 continues to dig deeper into the state of mental health care in Nebraska and possible solutions, ever since last week’s two instances involving law enforcement.

A Douglas County sheriff’s deputy was shot responding to a domestic call. Investigators said the suspect, Brian Huggins, had a history of behavioral health issues. Huggins died by suicide.

And then Noemi Guzman, who police say kidnapped a 3-year-old from inside an Omaha Walmart and cut him in the arm and face with a stolen kitchen knife. Omaha police officers shot and killed her before she could strike again.

Guzman had been on a court-ordered mental health treatment plan since last summer for her schizophrenia. According to court records, psychiatrists determined she could live in the community. Remember, this was after she was arrested for setting her father’s house on fire and threatening a priest with a knife.

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Monitoring system

We wanted to know who is part of the system monitoring those who may not be following their mental health treatment plan and are a risk to others or themselves. When that happens, the Board of Mental Health will often notify the local sheriff so a warrant can be issued and deputies can track the individual down.

Here are the numbers since 2023:

In 2023, 842 warrants were issued for those not following their treatment plans according to the Board of Mental Health. In 2024, 756. In 2025, 690. So far in 2026, 190.

But out of these 2,500 warrants, 85% of them didn’t have a second warrant, meaning deputies picked them up, got them back into treatment and the individuals continued to thrive after the one hiccup.

But in 15% of these cases, the individuals messed up again and had another warrant issued by the Board of Mental Health. Twenty-five individuals had five or more issued in Douglas County.

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Sheriff Hanson said there has to be a better way, a more team approach for this.

One model to explore is the way Nebraska’s problem-solving courts work like drug court and veterans’ treatment court where experts from a variety of stakeholders help individuals who are on the fringes to do everything to make them productive citizens.

Copyright 2026 WOWT. All rights reserved.



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