Nebraska

Nebraska lawmakers hear testimony on several prescription drug bills

Published

2 years ago

February 27, 2024

Nebraska lawmakers hear testimony on several prescription drug bills

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), were created decades ago to process claims for insurance companies and save money for consumers.

At a hearing Tuesday, some told the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee that things have changed though.

“Now, PBMs collect rebates from drug manufacturers on top of premiums,” Nebraska Pharmacists Association CEO Marcia Mueting said. “They conduct predatory audits that have become a profit center, they reimburse pharmacies at below-cost rates and offer contracts to pharmacies that are not negotiable, and PBMs are posting record earnings.”

State Sen. Justin Wayne has one bill that would keep PBMs from reimbursing pharmacies at a lower rate for drugs than it costs to dispense them.

Those testifying in favor of it said smaller, independent pharmacies cannot stay afloat with those conditions.

“Even with processing over 12,000-13,000 prescriptions a year, the current losses are unsustainable,” said Tom Choquette, who owns Bert’s Pharmacy in Hastings. “One of the three Nebraska Medicaid Providers, we’ve processed 2,285 claims this year, totaling a loss of $3,084.”

Opponents of the legislation said there are too many other factors at play to just zero in on PBMs.

“Let’s look at what the role the wholesaler and PSAO is in all these transactions because I want to understand more what limits there may be on pharmacies in terms of shopping around,” Pharmaceutical Care Management Association Vice President Bill Head said.

Sen. Eliot Bostar’s proposal would not allow PBMs to restrict how retail pharmacies dispense or deliver prescription drugs to patients.

The Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network in Nebraska welcomed the bill.

“Our sustainability has been compromised by PBM practices that steer our patients away from our care and into big box stores and mail-order services that are often, more often, owned by those same out-of-state PBM companies,” Staci Hubert said.

However, a lobbyist representing Prime Therapeutics said mail-order pharmacies have credentialing requirements for quality and safety measures.

“Community pharmacies should also be following those same requirements if they’re going to be doing mail order, and this bill prevents us from having specific networks that we would require them to join to do mail-order pharmacies,” Michelle Crimmins said.

Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue has a bill that would establish an advisory council consisting of those representing pharmacists, consumers and drug manufacturers. It would negotiate lower prices on medications that are utilized the most in the state and are also considered to be the most expensive.

“I don’t fault any company if they make profits,” Blood said. “But in the United States, we’re making these profits on the backs of consumers.”

Critics said the upper payment limit in Blood’s bill is a price control that would impact purchase and reimbursement prices for medicine.

“It is really not clear how an upper payment limit would operate,” said Katelin Lucariello, a lobbyist for the trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. “It’s still an open question, as no state has done it yet.”

All bills must make it out of committee before being debated on the floor.

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What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

Published

4 hours ago

March 27, 2026

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What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

Iowa coach Ben McCollum met with the media following his team’s 77-71 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Sweet 16. The Cornhuskers led by three at the half but Iowa was able to outscore Nebraska 34-25 in the second half.

Pryce Sandfort led all scorers with 25 points while shooting 8 of 13 from the field and 6 of 10 from the 3-point line. Bennett Stirtz led the Hawkeyes with 20 points and played for all 40 minutes.

Iowa shot 52% (27-52) from the floor, 43% (13-30) from beyond the arc and 83% (10-12) from the free throw line. Nebraska struggled shooting 41% (24-58) from the field, 34% (13-38) from the 3-point line and 91% (10-11) from the charity stripe.

The Hawkeyes’ head coach acknowledged that his team had a poor start but a great finish and said that his team will need to play better to advance beyond the Elite Eight.

Yeah, I think to start we weren’t fantastic to start. They had an elite game plan to start. They played with elite pace. They adjusted their defense quite a bit. I think a lot of people will talk about the rivalry. I was around it when I was in Iowa, you know, and grew up in Iowa and understand the rivalry and whatnot. It’s nice to have — I guess if you would a call it rival that runs such a class program.
I think Coach Hoiberg, they have got great kids. They completely turned everything around from the previous season, and they have absolutely nothing to hang their heads about or anything. I have the utmost respect for them, all their players, and especially Coach Hoiberg. Heck of a season. I know it’s no consolation, but we still want to beat ’em every time and they want to beat us every time.
But from and internal perspective, there’s not a lot of bad blood there. It’s actually a lot of respect. I was really pleased with our second-half performance. I thought we actually decided we were going to try — not try. They had a lot to do with it, but kind of. Yeah, they’re smiling over there because they saw me break my marker.
And I thought our kids did a good job of executing offensively in both halves. We spent a lot of time trying to make sure that we could score, and you saw the result of that. We didn’t defend. But we were able to score, so we were able to stay in the game long enough and then get enough stops and had some big possessions down the stretch. Really good program win for everybody, coaches, managers, everybody included.

Iowa advances to the Elite Eight with the victory. Nebraska’s season ends with a record of 28-7.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

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Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appoints Antonio Gomez to Racing and Gaming Commission

Published

16 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appoints Antonio Gomez to Racing and Gaming Commission

LINCOLN, Neb — Gov. Jim Pillen has appointed Antonio Gomez of Jackson to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, adding a longtime Siouxland business leader and public servant to the panel.

Commission members serve four-year terms and are subject to approval by the Nebraska Legislature.

Gomez launched Gomez Pallets in South Sioux City in 1983. He has since retired from daily operations, but last year the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce recognized him with the W. Edwards Deming Business Leadership and Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

Gomez previously served on the Nebraska Commission on Latino Americans from 1981 to 2002. He also served as a Dakota County commissioner for 12 years and was on the Foundation Board for Northeast Community College.

Gomez’s appointment is effective April 1.

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CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will face the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. This is the Huskers’ first Sweet 16 in program history, while Iowa is playing in its first Sweet 16 since 1999.

Nebraska defeated Vanderbilt 74-72 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa advanced after beating the defending national champion, the Florida Gators, 73-72.

CBS Sports reporter Isaac Trotter broke down Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup. Trotter started by looking at the two previous matchups in this series.

These teams have played twice. Iowa won at home in a 57-52 rockfight. Nebraska returned the favor by winning at home, 84-75 in overtime, in another to-the-death brawl.

It’s no secret that Nebraska’s defense caused significant problems for the Iowa offense in the second game, and if the Hawkeyes are going to win the rubber match, Trotter believes that turnovers will be the key.

There are no secrets in the rubber match. Nebraska’s no-middle defense has given Iowa real problems both times. The Hawkeyes turned it over 20% of the time in Game 1 and 26% of the time in Game 2. That can’t happen in the third encounter.

CBS Sports believes that Iowa has the best player on the floor in Bennett Stirtz, but Trotter also believes that Nebraska’s defense is just too much in the end for Iowa.

Iowa has the best player on the floor, Bennett Stirtz, and can hurt Nebraska on the glass, but the Huskers get the nod because of this pick-and-roll defense. You have to be able to guard ball screens effectively to shut down Iowa, and Nebraska has been an elite pick-and-roll defense, rating in the 99th percentile nationally, per Synergy.

In the end, Trotter selected Nebraska as his pick. Should the Huskers advance to the Elite Eight, Nebraska would play the winner of the Illinois-Houston game. Nebraska-Iowa play in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m. CT on TBS.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

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