Jefferson Community Health & Life will offer COVID-19 booster vaccines in November. Clinics will be held Nov. 5, 12, and 19 at the Fairbury Presbyterian Church. Appointments are required by calling 402-587-5188.

Boosters are available to:

*those who are 65 and older;

*those who are 18 to 64 who have underlying health conditions;

*those who are 18-64 who live or work in high-risk settings.

To receive a booster, individuals must have had their second dose of Moderna or Pfizer’s vaccine at least 6 months prior to receiving the booster; or have had their Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least 2 months prior to receiving the booster.

Those receiving boosters may choose to get a booster of the same vaccine series they started, or they may choose to get a different brand for the booster.

For an appointment for the booster, please call 402-587-5188. Please leave on the voice mail your name, telephone number, date of birth, vaccine you prefer, and date you prefer.

Those who are coming to the booster clinic should wear a mask and expect to be screened. Please bring  your insurance card, photo ID, and your COVID vaccination card. Please wear a short-sleeved shirt. Please plan to stay to be observed for 15 minutes after your vaccine.

If you need carside service, please let us know when you make your appointment.

There is no cost for the vaccine. An administration fee will be billed to your insurance.

Mobile Screening Services from Bryan Health will be offered at Jefferson Community Health & Life on Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The screenings are available on a private-pay basis only.

Several types of screening are available. Atrial fibrillation screening is available for all ages. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart arrhythmia, affecting 2.7 million Americans. The cost of this screening is $10.

The other three screenings offered are available to those who are 65 or older, or age 55 with certain personal risk factors or family history. Please discuss your eligibility with the scheduler when you call to make an appointment. Screenings available based on age or risk include:

• Peripheral Arterial Disease screening – A painless, non-invasive test called the anklebrachial index (ABI) compares the blood pressure in the ankles to the blood pressure in the arms to determine how well the blood is flowing. Cost– $20.
• Abdominal Aortic Ultrasound screening – This painless, non-invasive screening detects the presence of an aneurysm in the abdominal aorta (four hour fast required.) Cost – $40.
• Carotid Artery Ultrasound screening – This painless, non-invasive screening detects plaque deposits in the carotid arteries. These plaque deposits are a leading risk factor for stroke. Cost – $40.

Appointments for any of the screenings maybe made by calling JCH&L Outpatient Services at 402-729-3351. For appointments, please call weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Discounted lab testing at the patient’s request will be available soon at Jefferson Community Health and Life.

Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 20, area residents will be able to schedule their own lab without a physician’s order for a variety of commonly requests lab screenings. These screenings are private pay only, we will not bill insurance. A general wellness panel including general chemistry, lipid panel, complete blood count and TSH will be $75. Individual tests available at various prices include general chemistry, lipid panel, Complete Blood Count, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Hemoglobin A1C, PSA, Vitamin D and blood type.

This service will be available every other Wednesday and every other Friday. Wellness Wednesdays will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Fasting Fridays will be from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Area residents may be interested in this service if they wish to have more frequent testing than their health plan covers; to access and manage their health on a regular basis; or are uninsured or have a high deductible and want to take advantage of lower out-of-pocket expenses.

“In the past, we have offered reduced-price lab screenings once a year. We believe offering the opportunity weekly throughout the year will be a great advantage to many area residents,” said Erin Starr, JCH&L Chief Nursing Officer.

Results will be available on the JCH&L Patient Portal, and will not be shared with providers.

To make an appointment, call 402-729-3351 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments are required at least 24 hours before testing. Payment at the time of testing can be made by cash or check. If you would like to use a credit card, please ask for arrangements when scheduling.

Influenza vaccinations will be available at special clinics Oct. 21 and 22 at Jefferson Community Health & Life.

The CDC recommends influenza vaccinations for everyone 6 months and older. Influenza vaccinations are especially important during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. October is the optimal time to receive your vaccination.

Special influenza vaccination clinics will be offered at JCH&L Health Center on Thursday, Oct. 21, and Friday, Oct. 22, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Appointments are required and can be made by calling 402-587-5188. When you arrive for your appointment, please use the JCH&L Burkley Fitness Center entrance, located on the north side of the fitness center, accessible from H Street parking.

Influenza vaccines will also be available at JCH&L Fairbury Clinic at regular clinic appointments or at a vaccine appointment beginning Oct. 25. Call 402-72-3361, option 1, for an appointment.

When you come to your appointment at either location, please wear clothing which allows easy access to your arm. Bring your health insurance card and a photo ID. If you haven’t been a patient in the past year, please bring a completed health history form. Health history forms can be printed from JCHealthandLife.org. Most major insurances and Medicare cover the influenza vaccine. There will be a fee the day of your vaccination if you are a private pay patient.

Children 18 and under covered by Medicaid can’t get their influenza vaccines at these clinics. Please contact Blue Valley Community Action’s vaccination program at 402-826-2141, extension 3, for information on flu shots at BVCA shot clinics.

If you have questions or need more information, please call JCH&L Fairbury Clinic at 402-729-3361, option 2 for patient services.

Jefferson Community Health & Life staff were notified this week of three community members receiving scam phone calls regarding Medicare from caller IDs that identified JCH&L and other area hospitals.

“Medicare will never call you and ask you to give your Medicare ID number or other personal health information, and area hospitals won’t either. JCH&L or another hospital may call you about appointments or other information related to a visit. But if you are suspicious, please hang up and call us directly at 402-729-3351,” said Kim Shadduck, JCH&L business office manager. “Please do not give your Medicare number, social security number or other such personal information over the phone.”

JCH&L wants to alert the community that there are a number of scam calls happening again, and they may use JCH&L or other area hospitals’ caller IDs.

Medicare states the following on Medicare.gov:

Guard your card and protect your personal information

• To help protect against identity theft, Medicare has mailed new Medicare cards to people with Medicare. Your new card has a new Medicare Number that’s unique to you, instead of your Social Security Number.
• Don’t share your Medicare Number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you by phone, email, or by approaching you in person, unless you’ve given them permission in advance.
• Medicare, or someone representing Medicare, will only call and ask for personal information in these situations:
  1. A Medicare health or drug plan can call you if you’re already a member of the plan. The agent who helped you join can also call you.
  2. A customer service representative from 1-800-MEDICARE can call you if you’ve called and left a message or a representative said that someone would call you back.
• Only give personal information like your Medicare Number to doctors, insurers acting on your behalf, or trusted people in the community who work with Medicare like your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
• Be familiar with how Medicare uses your personal information. If you join a Medicare plan, the plan will let you know how it will use your personal information.

If someone calls you and asks for your Medicare Number or other personal information, hang up and call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY: 1-877-486-2048.

If you suspect identity theft, or feel like you gave your personal information to someone you shouldn’t have, contact the Federal Trade Commission.