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Golden Valley News
Beach, North Dakota
August 31, 2017     Golden Valley News
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August 31, 2017
 
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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. Buy Local! Be Local! Take the Pledge to Shift 10% www.golocalnd.corn/ This ad sponsored by Golden Valley News 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 HOW TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS We welcome letters to the editor concerning issues of area interest or regarding stories and editorials that have been published Letters should be limited to 400 words. Guest columns or opinion-editorials longer in length are also welcome. A writer can have only one letter or column regarding the same subject published in a 30-day time period, unless the writer is responding to a new aspect of an issue that has been raised. Letters and columns are a way to encourage public discussion. Thank-you letters and invitations cannot be published as letters to the editor, but can be formatted as advertisements. Please include your name, address and phone number on your letter or column so that we can contact you. Your address and phone number will not be published. 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' . r