How Does the Obama Health Care Plan Affect NP's?

Specialties NP

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Several physicians have told me that Obama's Health Care Plan will really benefit NP's. I guess I must have missed something, just what are his proposals for NP practice?

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I think what the physicians are talking about is that with universal coverage millions of more providers are going to instantly be needed because millions of more people will be insured. With less and less family docs it's safe to assume NPs/PAs will fill the gap. Personally I agree that there will be increased jobs but will they be decent paying jobs, a decent work environment or a mill like process pumping pts out? How do you rate the quality of care in your public health departments now?

I can tell you I rotated through a few and it was horrific, disgustingly low salary, tons of red tape. My gyn clinic only saw 4-6pts per day simply because the providers felt why bother seeing more when I am paid so little, the paperwork is so much and just had a who cares attitude. They took 1.5 hr lunches, did personal things on work time, were inefficient, treated the pts like dirt and acted like "gods." All the while pts were lined up waiting 8+hrs to get a pap smear and b/c pills. Was nuts!

I can tell you now, I don't wish to work in an environment like that!

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I think what the physicians are talking about is that with universal coverage millions of more providers are going to instantly be needed because millions of more people will be insured. With less and less family docs it's safe to assume NPs/PAs will fill the gap. Personally I agree that there will be increased jobs but will they be decent paying jobs, a decent work environment or a mill like process pumping pts out? How do you rate the quality of care in your public health departments now?

I can tell you I rotated through a few and it was horrific, disgustingly low salary, tons of red tape. My gyn clinic only saw 4-6pts per day simply because the providers felt why bother seeing more when I am paid so little, the paperwork is so much and just had a who cares attitude. They took 1.5 hr lunches, did personal things on work time, were inefficient, treated the pts like dirt and acted like "gods." All the while pts were lined up waiting 8+hrs to get a pap smear and b/c pills. Was nuts!

I can tell you now, I don't wish to work in an environment like that!

I'm totally getting it now...:down:

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

I work in a federally funded community health center and it's not like that at all. Providers work very hard, and I think we genuinely try to do our best for the patients. It's certainly not perfect and we do our share of complaining, but no one's slacking off. The pay is lower than in the private sector, but it's far from horrific. I don't know if my center is an aberration, but it's a decent place to work (and be a patient). I'm thankful to President Obama for throwing some serious cash at the National Health Service Scholarship/Loan Repayment program, so good primary care providers are now more motivated to take a somewhat lower paying job in exchange for some substantial student loan write offs. I think this program will lift the quality of care at these centers by attracting good providers, but who knows how long the funding will be there.

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Specializes in FNP.

I too think that the reference is to expanded need for primary care providers (ex. Massasachusetts). I would probably be very happy to work for the Nat'l Health Service. Our county health department may not be as bad as described, but I do know that the nursing staff come and go, open and close when they please, and are basically accountable to no one. Many many nurse around here are dying to get a job there, but they never open up. I was told they have not had a RN opening in 8 years.

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I work in a federally funded community health center and it's not like that at all. Providers work very hard, and I think we genuinely try to do our best for the patients. It's certainly not perfect and we do our share of complaining, but no one's slacking off. The pay is lower than in the private sector, but it's far from horrific. I don't know if my center is an aberration, but it's a decent place to work (and be a patient). I'm thankful to President Obama for throwing some serious cash at the National Health Service Scholarship/Loan Repayment program, so good primary care providers are now more motivated to take a somewhat lower paying job in exchange for some substantial student loan write offs. I think this program will lift the quality of care at these centers by attracting good providers, but who knows how long the funding will be there.

While I do think the National Health Service Scholarship and Loan Repayment program is wonderful, it worries me that providers will work for a few years in a lower paying job so that they can get their loans repaid, and then move on to a higher paying private sector job. While we certainly need good providers, I think the Loan Repayment is only a temporary fix. What happens when the program phases out? There needs to be long-term incentives, not just short-term.

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Well, I for one am quite excited about the National Health Service Scholarship andn Loan Repayment program because you get a job that pays off your student debt AND pays you at the same time (yay for new grads worried about employment!), it's usually in an urban/county setting where your services are needed, and you get to see a wide variety of cases that will improve your skills, so if you do choose to go on to a higher paying area, you're debt free and have great NP skills! Its a win win situation, in my opinion...

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Well, I for one am quite excited about the National Health Service Scholarship andn Loan Repayment program because you get a job that pays off your student debt AND pays you at the same time (yay for new grads worried about employment!), it's usually in an urban/county setting where your services are needed, and you get to see a wide variety of cases that will improve your skills, so if you do choose to go on to a higher paying area, you're debt free and have great NP skills! Its a win win situation, in my opinion...

I agree. I think the opportunities are exciting for individuals who would seek greater education anyway. I also think that if the health care reform bill is to work over the long term, the input of physicians, NP's, and RN's will be absolutely necessary. I believe this new law will awaken greater interest in the relationship between professional ethics and overall cost containment.

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the law might initially increase pay in certain area's, but in the long run it will bring down the pay for everyone in healthcare(doctors, nurses, PA's, etc). there is no way our country can afford this bill. it will only cause the cost of healthcare to increase more than it is right now, and in return the taxes in our country will increase. healthcare workers are going to feel the squeeze when all of this happens. hopefully, this bill can be stopped. don't forget to vote in november and get rid of anyone who voted for this bill.

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