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August 31, 2017
Golden Valley News
Page 3
340B important to rural healthcare, needs continued support
To the editor:
The North Dakota Rural Health
Association has been keeping a
close eye on the healthcare debate
sweeping the nation. There is one
important element to rural commu-
nities and rural providers that may
be in jeopardy, and not many people
know about it.
(ACA) extended access to 340B to
Critical Access Hospitals. Prior to
the ACA, these essential rural
providers were excluded. This ex-
tension, along with the creation of
Medicaid Expansion (for health in-
surance) is why the number of ND
CAHs with positive margins (mean-
ing revenue exceeds expenses) in-
also has health workforce shortages.
Our indicators for health status tend
to be worse than urban areas and
there is significant behavioral health
(opioid abuse) issues as well. Main-
taining viable rural hospitals is es-
sential. 304B is an important
program to help rural North
Dakotans maintain access to high
ig
solutio
Y
for
This fall the House of Represen-
tatives is likely to take up legislation
passed by the Senate that gives ter-
minally ill patients the right to try
unproven, experimental drugs that
are not yet on the market. Thirty-
seven states have already passed
similar legislation.
All this may sound like terrific
n
rug pro
on-exi
posal
nt problem
example, how does the drug affect
the heart? The FDA can also call for
safety adjustments in the adminis-
tration of the drug - such as what's
the best dosage - should the patient
be on a heart monitor.
Many patient advocacy groups
don't support the legislation pend-
ing in Congress. The American So-
Thinking
about health
By Trudy Lieberman
Rural Health News
Service
The 340B Drug Discount Pro-creased from 22 percent to 54quality and essential care. news for very sick patients with few ciety of Clinical Oncology says it
gram has been around since the 90s percent. We strongly encourage Con- or no treatment options left, but the to pay for it. supports access to investigational
and is important for rural healthcare The program is a significant ben- gressman Cramer to continue his issue deserves a much deeper look The right-to-try bill pending in drugs outside of clinical trials when
in North Dakota and across the efit to rural patients and hospitals, support for the 340B program. Since thanks, to its potential impact on Congress eliminates the FDA from adequate protections are in place. It
country. The program gives drug Across. the country rural hospitals he took office, Cramer has been people s pocketbooks and health, the process. The Goldwater Insti- doesn t support right-to-try legisla-
makers access to the federal Medi- are at risk for closing (80 since working to grow North Dakota."The public has no idea this is tute, a libertarian think tank based in tion because it ignores "key patient
caid program and in return the phar- 2010). Over half of North Dakotans Without the 340B program, many not a good thing, says Alison Bate- Phoenix, has led the drive for legis- protections without actually im-
maceutical companies provide (285,000) live in a rural area. North rural economies would suffer if man-House, a medica! ethicist at lation, and other like-minded thinks proving patient access to investiga-
discount medications to rural and Dakota s rural residents already North Dakota hospitals close and New York University s Langone tanks that aren t keen on govern- tional drugs outside of clinical
low income serving hospitals. It have limited treatment options. Any hospital workers are forced to leave Medical Center. They know noth- ment regulations have also weighed trials."
in. If someone is desperate, "I don't
seems like a win-win, right? The additional hospital closure(s)would their communities. Ending 304B ing about the bill except that the think a person or agency has a right The Pharmaceutical Research
drug companies get access to the cause further hardship. There are36 means !ncreased profits for "Big right-to-try sounds like a good to tellthat terminally,illperson,'I m Manufacturers Association
millions of guaranteed patients in hospitals where healthcare providers Pharma companies. We under- thing."
statements about the bill. ' As long
Medicaid, and provide a much- can access the 340B program for stand the need for pharmaceutical . For example, she said, few peo- sorry I don t think I m going to let (PhRMA) has issued noncommittal
needed break for hospitals strug- their patient s medication. For these companies to make'money, but not pIe in those 37 statesknow they may you try this, Phoenix physician as you have private sector invest-
gling to serve the most vulnerable hospitals and their patients, it s not a at the expense of patients and rural lose hospice coverage, or they may Jeffrey Singer, also a fellow at the merit driving drug development, the
Cato Institute, another libertarian
patient, s in our state, political issue. It s a matter of life or providers, be denied coverage for home health think tank, told MedPage Today. priority is get the drug approved and
We ve seen firsthand the positive death when residents are left with no No matter how you feel about the Care if they use an experimental sold and not to start giving it away,
impact this program has on our state, serious medical care for miles and current state of the health care de- treatment. In Colorado, Connecticut, But the FDA isn t the gatekeeper says medical ethicist Arthur Caplan.
The 340B Program has been incred- miles should rising drug prices keep bate, I hope Congress, especially Oklahoma and West Virginia, pa- here, Bateman-House said. "The It seems right-to-try laws are a
idea the FDA is the stumbling block solution looking for a problem, but
ibly valuable in reducing drug hospital balance sheets in the red. rural based Congressmen Cramer tients may lose their health insur- is completely wrong." It's the drug that solution can cause problems of
prices, billing on a sliding scale, and I am a proud North Dakotan, but can see why the 304B program is an ance. Their coverage may be denied
routinely serving uninsured patients. I realize rural areas have issues, important, proven part of the Amer- for six months after treatment ends. companies, which decide if they 11 its own for desperately ill patients.
let someone try one of their drugs (Would you try an experimental
One rural hospital told me, since the Rural areas tend to have an older ican hospital system and should be So why is there a drive for a na- that's still being developed and !s drug if you had a terminal illness?
340B program came into effect, pos- population, higher levels of poverty, preserved, tional law? According to Bateman-
itive operating margins allowed higher levels of chronic disease and Gretchen Dobervich House and others who oppose the not for sale to the public. We don t Write to Trudy at trudy.lieberman@
know how many times requests to
them to end the fiscal year in the higher rates of uninsured which im- President, North Dakota Rurallaw, the underlying goal is to re- drug companies are approvedor de- gmail.com.)
black. The Affordable Care Act pact access to care. North Dakota Health Association move FDA involvement from a nied, says Bateman-House. "If the
process that's currently in place re- drug company says 'no,' that's the
garding experimental drugs.
ig Underthecurrentprocessforob- endofit. PUt Your' ~oney l
4,308 citations issued during enforcement campa n taining such drugs, patients must The FDA, however, approves
Law enforcement agencies across seat belt and 58 were child restraint with motor vehicle crash injuries and first find a doctor who will agree to about 99 percent of the drugs that Where, Your HOMS~ ~$!
the state participated in the Click It citations. Tickets for speeding totaled deaths in North Dakota, the NDDOT try the therapy and contact the drug people who are terminally ill ask for, ~a~s; ~s~,;,de~,~,~ ~1~ s,r~,~hen~,~,~ 0ur
or Ticket enforcement campaign 1,788. The traffic stops also resulted says. Over the past five years (2012- company for permission to use the and the process moves quickly. The :,~Jb~:~,~ ~ ~, ~o,~v
from July 1 through Aug. 15 on in 42 drug arrests, 10 driving under 2016),about 6 out of every 10people ,experimental treatment. Once the FDA turns around emergency re- ~
North Dakota roads, the influence (DUI) citations, 11 ci- killed in a motor vehicle crash were. doctor and patient have that permis- quests within 24 hours, and in non-
A total of 4,308 citations were at- tations for distracted driving and four not wearing a seat belt at the time of sion, they fill out paperwork and emergency situations within three to
four days.
tributed to the added enforcement pa- felony violations, the crash. Last year in North Dakota, send it to the FDA. If the FDA says Why is FDA involvement !mpor-
trois. Of the total citations, 1,521 Failure to use a seat belt is the every four days one unbelted vehicle yes, a patient can try the drug.
tant? For one thing, it doesn t have
were citations for failure to wear a most significant factor associated occupant died. institutionaiBUt there areReviewOther Board,hUrdleS'alsoAn a vested !nterest in the outcome of ~,i~' ' -~ ~'~ ~*
called an IRB, at the hospital or someone s treatment the way a doc- N ;
!es fi bigh p li Other institution where the treatment toy or drug company has. For an- .~/~.~
Game and Fish all0ca ve 0rn shee censes will take place, must also approve other, it knows about other drugs in .~,~.~,~,~, ,j/
The Noah DakotaGame andFish I~a~ment s recent~ completed sum- showed clinical signs of pneumonia, the treatment. Finally, the patient the same class as the experimental G ~ v,~, co~,~,-~
Depa.rtment is allocating five bighorn mer populatmn survey. Results of the and the summer lamb countInthose must g!ve conse9t and, have.money drug and can look for problems that
' " '~' ~ ' have arisen whh those drugs. For Think Local!
shedt~ licenses forthe 2017:huiitlilg :'i'~fi~{/@':,sli0~)ea am~al'bl'83rarh~, or herdsimprovedY' : Give Local!
season, three fewer than 2016. 21 fewer than 2016. Similar to last year, Game .and ~ '~.~. ~ ~ ~ :
Two licensesareavailableinUnit Brett Wiedmann, Department big Fish announced in February that the Keohane appointed to head county office
B3 and two in B4. Also, one license, game management biologist in Dick- status of the bighorn sheep hunting
as authorized under North Dakota inson, said the 20 percent decline in season would be determined after Rachel Keohane has been up- Billings County.
Century Code, was auctioned in ram numbers is the result of an on- completion of the summer popula- pointedrby the Golden Valley County Keohane will still continue her
spring by the Midwest Chapter of the going bacterial pneumonia outbreak tion survey. Now that the survey is Commission as the county's clerk of position as emergency manager. Her
Wild Sheep Foundation, from which that was first detected in 2014. complete, the bighorn lottery was court/recorder, other responsibilities include sitting
all proceeds are used to enhance "In addition, 2016 had the lowest held and successful applicants were Keohane was the county's deputy in on court cases, issuing marriage
bighorn sheep management in North lamb recruitment on record so very notified, clerk of court/recorder. She replaces licenses, civil wedding ceremonies
Dakota. few yearling rams were observed," Prospective hunters were required Patty Thompson, former Golden and recording documents. Keohane
The number of once-in-a- Wiedmann said. "Encouragingly, no to apply for a bighorn license earlier Valley County clerk of also said that she hopes they will be
lifetime licenses allotted to hunters is adult animals within the herds that this year on the bighorn sheep, court/recorder, who resigned to take able to issue passports some time in
based on data collected from the De- were exposed to disease in 2014 moose and elk application. . a deputy clerk of court position in the future.
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Law enforcement participating in texting campaign
DICKINSON - Starting Sept. 5
through the end of the month, law
enforcement agencies in North
Dakota will participate in the
statewide U Drive. U Text. U Pay.
campaign in an effort to make roads
safer by enforcing the ban on texting
while driving.
Composing, reading or sending
any electronic message or using a
communications device to access the
Internet while driving has been ille-
gal in North Dakota for drivers of all
ages since August 1, 2011, and is
punishable with a fine of $100. The
law applies to any driver of a vehi-
cle in a traffic lane, even while
stopped at a red light or in a con-
struction zone.
"Too many drivers are ignoring
their responsibilities behind the
wheel and it is creating a deadly
threat on our roads," said Captain
David Wilkie of the Dickinson Po-
lice Department. "With heightened
enforcement campaigns such as U
Drive. U Text. U Pay we hope it
makes motorists keep their eyes on
the road and their hands on the
wheel."
Van or Bus Service
Billings County
Golden Valley County
Distance of 160 Miles
CALL: 701-872-3836
Our board meets at 9:30 a.m
first Tuesday of each month at
701 S. Central Ave Beach
The public is invited!
North Dakota recently expanded 391,000 injured in motor vehicle
the texting while driving law to in- crashes involving distracted drivers
clude distracted driving, which in 2015. This was a 9 percent in-
means any distraction that impairs crease in motor vehicle fatalities due
the ability to safely operate the vehi- to distracted driving compared to the
cle. If you're distracted while driv- previous year.
ing and commit a traffic violation, Participating agencies during this
the driver can be given a $100 cita- heightened enforcement period in-
tion for distracted driving. However, clude Burleigh, Morton, and Grand
this enforcement period will strictly Forks County sheriff's offices; along
focus on texting while driving, with Bismarck, Mandan, Fargo,
According to the National High- NDSU, West Fargo, Jamestown, Val-
way Traffic Safety Administration ley City, Grand Forks, UND, Dick-
(NHTSA),3,477 people nationwide inson, Minot, Devils Lake and
were killed and an estimated Watford City police departments.
INSURANCE, LLC
TARA CRAIGO BONNIE UNDERWOOD DENISE RAISLER MARK HARDY
THE AGENCY
INSU[~ANDE, LLC
Local Independent Agency
Home, Auto, Farm, Ranch, RV,
Motorcycle, Commercial, Life.
(701) 872-3006
info( theagencynd.com
r" /: :; :: :' ', :i M O 5]',
Correction
Regarding a story about a
weightlifling event that was in the
Aug. 24 editions, Shawn Crandall is
from Minot.
Please support
your local
merchants
ABBREVIATED NOTICE
OF INTENT TO
ENACT AND AMEND
ADMINISTRATIVE RULES
relating to the practice of telernedicine, the
issuance of administrative medical licenses
and special medical licenses, the prescription
drug monitoring program (PDMP) reporting
requirements, and the supervising physician
for physician assistants.
North Dakota Board
of
Medicine
will hold a public headng to address proposed
amendment of an existing administrative rule,
and the enactment of new administrative
rules.
Board offices
418 East Broadway Ave.
Suite 12
Bismarck, ND
9:00 a.m.
Wed September 27; 2017
The proposed rules may be reviewed
at the office of the North Dakota Board
of Medicine, 418 East Broadway Ave
Suite 12, Bismarck, ND. A copy of the
rules and/or regulatory analysis may be
requested by writing the above address
or calling (701)328-6500. A copy of the
proposed rules will be posted on the board's
website at www.ndbom.org. Written or
oral comments about the proposed rules
sent to the above address, called in to
the telephone number listed above, or
emailed to bstorbakken@ndbom.org with
the subject line "Rules comments", and I
received by October 9, 2017, will be fully I
considered. If you plan to attend the public I
hearing and will need special facilities or I
assistance relating to a disability, please
contact the board at the above telephone
number or address at least five days prior
to the public hearing.
Dated this 24th day of August, 2017.
Bonnie Storbakken
Executive Secretary
North Dakota Board of Medicine
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Golden Valley News/Billings County Pioneer, P.O. Box 156, Beach, N.D. 58621;
goldenandbillings@gmail.com
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO
LONE TREE SCHOOL
DISTRICT #6
A public hearing to consider
increasing the 2017-18 LOne Tree
School District #6 property tax levy
by 14% will be held at the Golva
Elementary School, 301 Terrell
Avenue, Golva, ND, on Wednesday,
September 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM.
Citizens will have an opportunity to
present oral or written comments
regarding the property tax levy.
This 14% increase will generate
approximately $31,000 in revenue
to be used in the high school
tuition/general fund.
f'
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