REH bills pass state committee and subcommittee
Rural emergency hospital licensure bills have been introduced in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature. House File 13 passed the House health and human services committee, making it eligible for floor debate in that chamber. Senate File 75 passed the Senate health and human services subcommittee and will go to the full committee. Both bills outline licensing requirements, fees, penalities and rule-making authority for hospitals choosing to convert to a rural emergency hospital.

IHA thanks legislators in the Statehouse for supporting the bills.

Spots still open for managed care contracting webinar
There’s still time to register for the upcoming Managed Care Contracting webinar. Jan Jerzak, an audit and finance expert, is addressing the economic and noneconomic components of typical payer contracts and effective approaches to work through contract execution and monitoring.

Jerzak also will discuss:

• Cost-based reimbursement and commercial reimbursement models.
• Price transparency information.
• Standard processes to protect and grow revenue.

The webinar is scheduled from 1-2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31. Email Joah Hogan at IHA with questions.

Geerts named CEO at Waverly Health Center
The Waverly Health Center board of trustees has appointed Jodi Geerts as the new CEO of the facility. Geerts was interim CEO after Matt Johnson resigned and was the organization’s chief nursing officer.

Geerts has held several leadership positions including executive director of regulatory and risk management, director of emergency services and chief nursing officer with two other facilities. She holds a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She also is a certified professional in health care quality.