The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, November 06, 1978, Page page 8, Image 8

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    page 8
daily nebraskan
monday, november 6, 1978
You are invited . . .
WHO. UPC-E Visual Arts
Committee and You
WHAT: Macrame Contest
WHERE: East Union Loft
WHEN: Nov. 19-Dec. 10
Entry free is $1.50 per entry. Cash prize
awarded for 1st place. Held in conjunc
tion with UPC-E Arts & Crafts Fair, Nov.
29-30
New alternative health center to offer
primary services on pre-paid basis
BUUGEOnS & BHAftODS
PLAYERS HANDBOOK
No more searching through endless volumes and magazines for
character information, spells, or anything else. The ADVANCED
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS PLAYERS HANDBOOK Is here.
Chick Bartlctt's
HOBBY TOWN
134 North tftti Street Phone 432-3829
By Brenda Moskovits
A new approach to health care is coming to Lincoln
when Health Central, a Health Maintenance Organization
opens in January.
HMO's are an alternative to the present health care
system in chich consumers buy health insurance and shop
around for medical services which insurance payments do
not always cover, according to Sheryl Bellinger, director
of membership services for Health Central.
The HMO is intended "to provide high quality compre
hensive service on a pre-paid basis," Bellinger said.
Members, who are usually solicited through their
employer, pay premiums comparable to health insurance
premiums, she said.
In return, the member receives all health services,
examinations, lab tests, hospitalization, emergency care,
specialists' care, maternity care, surgery and opthamology
free of further charges.
Primary care including general practice, laboratories
and x-ray equipment, will be available within Health
Central's building at 17 and N streets.
Hospitalization at the three Lincoln hospitals, emer
gency care and specialty service, handled outside the HMO
will be billed to Health Central. No claim forms will be
filled out, Bellinger said.
Prescription rates
Various plans will be available through Health Central,
some which pay for prescriptions and others which charge
full or part rates for them, she said.
Eye exams will be covered but glasses and contact
lenses must be purchased. An in-house optical and
pharmacy will be located inside the building.
A free dental clinic, as are found in other HMO's across
the nation, will be added in a few years, Bellinger said.
Health Central doctors will receive a fixed salary for
a certain number of hours in the office and on rotating
calls, she said.
Equipment, malpractice insurance, nurses, aides and
supplies will all be provided for the doctor by Health
Central.
Quality care is insured because the HMO is a business,
she said.
"If people don't like the physicians they won't join."
? lA-i iff M r
life A ? 0 rf
. ... ----. f nil
L
lLaIai
Legislator
CGth District
Remember, the one that works hardest for your vote
will work hardest for you in the Legislature!
Paid for by North Lincoln Voters for Landis, Claudia Zanolli, treasurer, 341 1 'W Street.
ANNOUNCING
OUR SEMI-ANNUAL 1 CENT OFFER
BUY ONE PAIR OF GLASSES AT OUR LOW PRICE, AND GET
A SECOND PAIR OF EQUAL PRICE OR LESS FOR ONLY 1 CENT.
Our professional optician will give you courteous, efficient service and expert fitting,
with over hundreds and hundreds of frame styles to choose from. Special lenses for
every need. Safety lenses and plastic lenses, tinted lenses, hidden bifocals, and
sunsensor lenses are all included in this sale. Come and see for yourself and bring
your prescription. Make your choice from our wide selection of frames, including
such designer lines as Gloria Vanderbilt, Aleg Cassini, Elizabeth Arden, and Avante
Garde.
NOT TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY OTHER SALE.
Good Nov. 6th thru Nov. 11th. 1978
Tfe Optical
333 No. 12th St.
477-9347
Mon Fa ia5
Thurs til 8
Sat 101
Salaries will be competitive to private practice. Health
Central's director's salary will be $58,500, she said.
She stressed that the HMO concept is one of "dual
choice." Consumers will have the right to choose between
traditional health insurance and the HMO.
The program was given a boost by Congress through
the 1973 Health Organizations Act, she said.
Offer alternative
The act requires employers who offer health benefits
to their employees to offer joining a federally certified
HMO as an alternative.
The act also provided initial government grants to
HMO's as well as federal loans to HMO's getting started.
Health Central has already received its initial grant and
is waiting for an answer for a federal loan.
Federal certification to operate the center is expected
in December, she said.
Because UNL offers health insurance to its employees,
it will be required to offer Helath Central as an alter
native, according to William Jones, director of personnel
services for the university system.
Once Health Central receives federal approval, the NU
Board of Regents will consider a recommendation to
begin offering enrollment as is required by federal law,
he said .
UNL cannot offer Health Central to its employees until
after the university's contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield
expires on August 1 .
After then, health insurance and health maintenance
will bdth be offered, he said.
The UNL Faculty Senate has given favorable approval
to the idea, Jones said.
Some Centrum
parking Nov. 15
The first three levels of the Centrum parking facility
will open Nov. 15, making 300 to 330 new parking spaces
available in downtown Lincoln.
The 1,000 stall parking garage was scheduled for
completion Nov. 15, but contractor Peter Kiewit and
Sons of Omaha asked the city to extend the completion
date one month.
Kiewitt said the delay was because material for stair
wells did not arrive until recently, according to Mike Mer
wick, an administrative assistant to the mayor.
Merwick explained that fire regulations prohibit open
ing the upper floors of the garage until stairwells are
complete.
"It is debatable if not getting the materials is Kiewit's
fault," Merwick said.
If the city decides Kiewit was at fault, the company
will be subject to a $500 fine for the first seven days after
Nov. 15 that the project is not finished, and $1,000 per
day thereafter.
Kiewit asked that the fines not be imposed, citing bad
weather and unavailable materials, Merwick said.
Elevators will not operate below the garages' fourth
level until Centrum Retail Complex is completed. Parking
will cost 25 cents an hour in the garage.
Regular (12")
Pizza
with pepperoni,
mushrooms or
ground beef
plus TWO
16 oz. Colas
Only
$3o52S
611 IM. 27th
Lincoln
475-7S72
fast free dpii?n
Franchise area only m
' No other coupons accepted