JCH&L Billing Process Changes

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In response to concerns about the current process and to improve our customer service, Jefferson Community Health & Life has made some changes in its billing process. Beginning June 1, JCH&L will be working with ruralMED, a Nebraska company, as a partner for billing services.

“RuralMED will work as an extension of our business office and provide the service our customers deserve,” said Kim Shadduck, business office manager. “Customers will see a redesigned, customer-friendly statement, and an updated portal for paying online. There will also be a local number to call if a patient has questions.”

As of June 1, RuralMED will manage accounts on behalf of JCH&L. Payments may still be made to Med-Plan/Hauge Group until June 1. Customers will not be able to set up new payment plans until June 1. Those with existing payment plans will be contacted by ruralMED to switch the plans over.

Shadduck said there will be a slight delay in billing for those with recent services. Anyone with questions or concerns can call the JCH&L business office at 402-729-3351 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“Our priority is to provide our customers excellent customer relations, care and financial service,” Shadduck said.

After June 1, payments will be sent to JCH&L, PO Box 277, Fairbury, NE 68352. The link will be updated on the JCH&L website to link directly to JCH&L’s bill pay. Patients may also make payments in person at JCH&L.

Because our previous partner for health center services was Med-Plan, patients may still receive statements from Med-Plan until June 1, and should continue to work with Med-Plan through May for any current balances.

JCH&L Auxiliary Salad Festival Successful

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Nearly $900 was raised during the annual salad festival of the Jefferson Community Health & Life Auxiliary on May 8 in Fairbury.

A total of 145 people were served at the festival, according to Lana Likens, director of public relations, marketing and development at Jefferson Community Health & Life. The Salad Festival is one of the main fund-raisers for the JCH&L Auxiliary each year, and has a long tradition in Fairbury. The first salad festival was held in 1965.

“It takes a tremendous amount of community support to have a fund-raiser continue for 60 years. We thank all of those who helped to make this event successful once again,” Likens said. “It is a fun community spring event that also helps to fund good work by the auxiliary.”

The salad festival itself takes much volunteer time and effort, Likens said. More than 35 individuals volunteer their time to help during the day and more than 70 items of food are donated.

Tables were decorated with plants from the Fairbury FFA greenhouse, and more than $150 was raised for the Fairbury FFA with the sales of the plants.

The auxiliary provides scholarships to students entering medical fields and provides Christmas gifts for nursing home residents at JCH&L Gardenside, in addition to providing volunteer support for JCH&L in a variety of ways.

Wolff Now JCH&L Gardenside Administrator

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Holly Wolff, MHA, LNHA, FACHE, is now JCH&L Gardenside Administrator, in addition to serving as chief executive officer for Jefferson Community Health & Life. Deb Sutton, RN, BSN, NHA, has served as an interim nursing home administrator since August.

Wolff earned her Nursing Home Administrator license in North Dakota and Montana.  Since joining JCH&L as CEO in January she has been working with the states of North Dakota and Montana to transfer her licensure to Nebraska. She was recently notified that her Nebraska Nursing Home Administrators license was approved.

“I would like to thank Deb Sutton for serving as interim nursing home administrator. It is important to have someone with the training, skills and licensure needed to keep Gardenside compliant with regulations and running smoothly,” Wolff said. “We have a wonderful, caring staff at Gardenside, and we are proud to offer long-term and skilled nursing care to our community.”

Jefferson Community Health & Life began serving residents of Jefferson County and the surrounding area in September 1963 as the first facility in the state built to be a combination hospital and nursing home. Gardenside provides long-term care as well as skilled nursing care.

Caregivers Support Group to Meet May 8

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The Caregivers Support Group offered by the Alzheimer’s Association will meet on Thursday, May 8, at 4:30 p.m. in the Jefferson Community Health & Life Clinic Conference Room. The program will be a video on “Making Visits Valuable – Part 11” by Teepa Snow.

Easiest access will be by parking in the H Street parking and entering through the JCH&L Main Entrance. Follow the signage to “Caregiver’s Support.”

The Caregiver’s Support Group is a program of the Alzheimer’s Association. The group meets on the second Thursday of each month in the JCH&L Clinic Conference Room.

The support group is designed for those who are caregivers and family members of those who have Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias.  The group provide an opportunity anyone interested to share their experiences with Alzheimer’s Disease and learn from other’s experiences. There is no cost, and no pre-registration required.

For more information, contact Lana Likens at Jefferson Community Health & Life at 402-729-6855.

Nebraska Community Bloodbank Visits April 7

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FAIRBURY –The next Nebraska Community Bloodbank blood drive will be held on Monday, April 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the mobile unit in the parking lot of JCH&L’s North Building, 825 22nd St.

Every person who shows up to donate at this drive will have their name entered in a drawing for a chance to win a $25 Ziggi’s gift card.

All types are needed. Giving blood is giving a gift of life. Nebraska Community Bloodbank is Jefferson Community Health & Life’s blood supplier, and the two organizations partner for blood drives in Fairbury to save lives.

Appointments are recommended. To make an appointment, call JCH&L Outpatient Services at 402-729-6851, or visit NCBB.org/searchdrives and use sponsor code JCHC.

With iDonate you can save time by completing your health history on line ahead of your bloodmobile visit. To get started, visit mbc.org/iDonate

Caregivers Support Group to Meet April 10, 2025

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The Caregivers Support Group offered by the Alzheimer’s Association will meet on Thursday, April 10, at 4:30 p.m. in the Jefferson Community Health & Life Clinic Conference Room. The program will be a video on “Making Visits Valuable – Part 8” by Teepa Snow.

Easiest access will be by parking in the H Street parking and entering through the JCH&L Main Entrance. Follow the signage to “Caregiver’s Support.”

The Caregiver’s Support Group is a program of the Alzheimer’s Association. The group meets on the second Thursday of each month in the JCH&L Clinic Conference Room.

The support group is designed for those who are caregivers and family members of those who have Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias.  The group provide an opportunity anyone interested to share their experiences with Alzheimer’s Disease and learn from other’s experiences. There is no cost, and no pre-registration required.

For more information, contact Lana Likens at Jefferson Community Health & Life at 402-729-6855.

Salad Festival Set for May 8

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Annual Fund-raiser for JCH&L Auxiliary

FAIRBURY — The Spring Salad Festival of the Jefferson Community Health & Life Auxiliary will be held on Thursday, May 8, at the Fairbury Elks Lodge. The Salad Festival is a fund-raiser for the JCH&L Auxiliary which has been a community event since 1965. Last year’s event raised more than $1,100 for the Auxiliary.

“The Salad Festival has a long history in our community and has been a wonderful fund-raiser for the JCH&L Auxiliary,” said Lana Likens, director of public relations at Jefferson Community Health & Life. “It is also something that has provided wonderful food and fellowship, and our community enjoys.”

The salad festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets will be $9 in advance, or $10 at the door.

The Spring Salad Festival is one of two fund-raising events of the auxiliary, with the other a car show in conjunction with Heritage, set for Sunday, May 18. The auxiliary provides scholarships to students entering medical fields, provides Christmas gifts for residents of the Gardenside long-term care at Jefferson Community Health & Life, and provides volunteer help at JCH&L in a variety of projects.

Anyone interested in more information about the auxiliary or the salad festival should contact Lana Likens at (402) 729-6855.

Progressive Agriculture Safety Day Set for July 29

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The Progressive Agriculture Safety Day will be held on Tuesday, July 29, at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Fairbury. This year’s Safety Day is the 26th event for the local chapter of Jefferson County Farm Safety 4 Just Kids.

Safety Day is not just for “farm kids,” organizers said. Safety Day is designed to provide safety information that is agriculturally oriented as well as general safety information.

Through hands-on activities, participants learn to prevent incidents and reduce the extent of injuries if incidents do occur. Safety Day stresses the importance of children taking responsibility for their own safety, respecting parents’ safety rules, and sharing safety tips with their family and friends.

Progressive Agriculture Safety Day is organized by Jefferson County Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. It is made possible by The Progressive Agriculture Foundation. Area business sponsors are key to making Safety Day successful.

Please watch for details to come!

Anyone who needs more information on Safety Day should call the Nebraska Extension office in Jefferson County at (402) 729-3487, or Coordinator Lana Likens at JCH&L at (402) 729-6855.

Medicare Fraud Attempt Reported

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A Medicare fraud attempt using the phone number of Jefferson Community Health & Life has been reported by a Lincoln resident. JCH&L reminds patients to never give their Medicare number, social security number or other personal information over the phone.

The Lincoln resident reported that they had received a call which showed caller ID of JCH&L and was asked to update Medicare information. The call did not originate at JCH&L. Unfortunately, criminals often “spoof” numbers from trusted providers.

“JCH&L will never ask for your Medicare number over the phone,” said Kim Shadduck, business office manager. “If you are ever concerned with a phone call that appears to be from JCH&L, please hang up and call us back directly.”

JCH&L reminds Medicare recipients that if you receive such a call, don’t give your Medicare number. If you have given you Medicare number, call the number on your card and report possible Medicare fraud. If you have questions or concerns about calls which appeared to come from JCH&L, please call Shadduck at 402- 729-3351, extension 7124.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has this advice for Medicare recipients:

  • Medicare beneficiaries should be cautious of unsolicited requests for their Medicare numbers. If anyone other than your physician’s office requests your Medicare information, do not provide it.
  • If you suspect Medicare fraud, contact the HHS OIG Hotline.
  • If you get a call, text or email asking for your Medicare number, don’t respond. Don’t give your Medicare card or Medicare number to anyone except your doctor or people you know should have it. (JCH&L would not typically ask for your Medicare number over the phone.)
  • Check your Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) or claims statements carefully. If you see a charge for a service you didn’t get or a product you didn’t order, it may be fraud. If you suspect fraud, report it at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227.)
  • Guard your Medicare card like it’s a credit card.

Please visit Medicare.gov, the official source of Medicare information, to learn more about preventing Medicare fraud and medical identity theft. Here’s a link to a booklet  about protecting yourself and Medicare from fraud. See more information at:

https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/10111-Protecting-Yourself-and-Medicare.pdf

More contact information if you have a concern:

    • HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline:
      • Phone: 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).
      • TTY: 1-800-377-4950.
    • Medicare:
      • Phone: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
    • Other Resources:
      • Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP): 1-877-808-2468.
      • Nebraska SHIP: 1-800-234-7119.

Fairbury Rural Fire Department Earns Hometown Heroes Donation

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The Fairbury Rural Fire Department was presented with a check for $500 from Nebraska Community Blood Bank (NCBB) on Feb. 25, 2025, because of the community’s successful participation in the NCBB Hometown Heroes campaign.

The NCBB Hometown Heroes program takes place each year from Memorial Day to Labor Day and is an opportunity for community members to join forces, help save lives, and enrich their community. Money is allocated from NCBB to blood drive partners when they reach their blood drive collections goals.

The Jefferson Community Health & Life qualifying blood drives took place on June 10 and Aug. 5, 2024, and collected a total of 60 units of blood and welcomed 4 new blood donors.

The hometown hero program will continue in 2025 as Jefferson Community Health & Life will be hosting blood drives during the summer qualifying period on June 2 and July 28. To make an appointment please visit us at www.ncbb.org and use the sponsor code JCHC or call NCBB at 402-486-9414.

Every two seconds, someone needs blood. Because blood cannot be synthetically made, only volunteer blood donors can help save lives. If you are interested in being a hero in your community, visit NCBB.ORG/heroes or email blooddrives@NCBB.org

The NCBB bloodmobile visits JCH&L six times each year. The next drive date will be April 7.

Check presentation from Nebraska Community Bloodbank to Fairbury Rural Fire District

Fairbury Rural Fire District accepts a donation from Nebraska Community Bloodbank for the 2024 Hometown Heroes program. From left, Brett Rogers, assistant chief; Judd Stewart, fire chief; Jami Kassebaum, Nebraska Community Bloodbank; and Barry Schwab, assistant chief.

2200 H St., PO Box 277, Fairbury, NE