An RN's thoughts on the health care law

Nurses Activism

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  • Specializes in ICU/CCU/TRAUMA/ECMO/BURN/PACU/.

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herring_RN, ASN, BSN

3,651 Posts

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

SC_RNDude

533 Posts

As it is now, about a third of those who are eligible are not enrolled. With the AHA, more will be eligible, but a even higher % is expected to not enroll.

Understanding Participation Rates in Medicaid: Implications for the Affordable Care Act: ASPE Issue Brief

Susie2310

2,121 Posts

As it is now, about a third of those who are eligible are not enrolled. With the AHA, more will be eligible, but a even higher % is expected to not enroll.

Understanding Participation Rates in Medicaid: Implications for the Affordable Care Act:* ASPE Issue Brief

I just clicked on the link to this article and noticed the date at the bottom is 3/16/12 if I remember correctly. The Supreme Court ruled on the Health Care Act in June. So I am thinking, as I read in Bloomberg, that with the Supreme Court Ruling now not requiring states to expand Medicaid, that actually fewer people than this article projected will be expected to enroll.

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herring_RN, ASN, BSN

3,651 Posts

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

A nurse who volunteered in Houston after Katrina and Rita told me what she and fellow volunteers did after the Astrodome refugees were gone.

They went into the east Texas piney wood hills where people were living in the yard because their roof had blown off and it was raining in the house.

With a church group the nurses, including NPs found old people with undiagnosed HTN, diabetes, and other illnesses. They didn't even know they could get Medicare or Social Security. They were treated at their homes, those who were willing were taken to a shelter. All were so very relieved that they could get some healthcare.

With the help of volunteers from various churches their roofs were replaced. These volunteer nurses truly helped those people.

Susie2310

2,121 Posts

A nurse who volunteered in Houston after Katrina and Rita told me what she and fellow volunteers did after the Astrodome refugees were gone.

They went into the east Texas piney wood hills where people were living in the yard because their roof had blown off and it was raining in the house.

With a church group the nurses, including NPs found old people with undiagnosed HTN, diabetes, and other illnesses. They didn't even know they could get Medicare or Social Security. They were treated at their homes, those who were willing were taken to a shelter. All were so very relieved that they could get some healthcare.

With the help of volunteers from various churches their roofs were replaced. These volunteer nurses truly helped those people.

I think it is wonderful that these nurses and NP's were able to help these people.

I am guessing that the NP's were self-employed practitioners. I am just wondering about the issues of malpractice coverage for the nurses and NP's involved. I know that my professional liability policy didn't cover me for volunteer nursing. I would not provide volunteer nursing services to the general public without professional liability coverage: I would only act within the limits of the Good Samaritan Act, unless I was employed by a group such as the Red Cross.

sukiathome

17 Posts

What makes you think doctor's offices will be hiring more RNs to teach the patients? They have removed RNs and even the LPNs from their offices! Why? Because they can work the MA (with significantly less education) for much less. Plus they can get the MA to do things that RNs know better. Have you ever had some education from an MA? I have. What a mess. All the doctors I have used in my area the MAs have no clue. Sorry but that's just the facts.

uRNmyway, ASN, RN

1,080 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg.
Those of us who work in private hospitals receive a paycheck from payments to the hospital by Medicare, Medicaid, government workers insurance plans, private insurance and self pay.

Many of us also volunteer ate free or low cost clinics. If you've cared for someone who died as a result of untreated tooth decay you may understand why it is important for dental care to be included.

Nurses provide pre-screening for hundreds of people a day. Most are working people with no employer insurance or no dental. Before dental work can be done people must have their hypertension and/or diabetes under control.

Those are the most common medical illnesses treated. A nurse practitioner or physician diagnoses them. Nurses care and teach them. It often takes several hours, but needs to be done that day.

A volunteer pharmacist dispenses several months of medication. The patient is given a prescription good for a year.

Then they can come back another day, wait all night outside, and have their teeth worked on.

Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps - Oklahoma : Remote Area Medical Oklahoma

Pikeville, KY Expedition 2012

Remote Area Medical ends weeklong clinic in Los Angeles | 89.3 KPCC

Let me tell you. I work in a home health company. I have been told SEVERAL times that we basically make NO profit from the Welfare patients after staff caring for them have been paid. So for those entrepreneurs trying to make something of themselves, which I thought was one of the biggest pros about the US, there is NO gain to be made by taking Medicare patients. And, as others have said, although I do believe everyone should have insurance, I dont think it is MY responsibility to work my butt off to barely scrape by on my bills as the sole earner in my household, then watch people receiving these benefits living better than I do!

There is a proverb in french that roughly translated says "Help yourself and the Lord will help you too".

uRNmyway, ASN, RN

1,080 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg.
"That Guy" has the same reaction that many doctors have to coverage for everyone. It's commonly known as the "I've got mine" approach to the needs of others.

The way this remarkable act (remarkable for having passed both houses, despite strenuous opposition) works to lower medical costs, is that those who will be covered, will no longer use the ED as their neighborhood doctors' office, arriving in more advanced states of their illnesses. That costs us taxpayers more, and provides fewer other programs (like transportation) that could benefit us. Prevention programs also will keep almost everyone well enough to work, longer than the current programs.

Since doctors charge so much for their services, utilization of nurses for patient education and nurse practitioners for preliminary care will increase, and that means more time will be spent with patients by professionals who have expertise to educate them more thoroughly and effectively. Doctors traditionally speak to patients with terminology that is difficult for them to understand, and in a dispassionate manner that forbids emotional reactions (no time for that).

Consequently, remuneration for nurses will likely increase, as well as job opportunities.

I am very sorry Lamazeteacher, but I am ALSO from Canada, and that is not at all how I see things happening here. People still abuse the ER. They are uneducated so they go for anything and everything, and because its free, they figure, why not go to the ER? In Quebec, where I grew up, and practiced nursing, they have a big emphasis on community care, where nurses are basically the primary care givers. They do teaching, treatments, etc. However, Quebec has the lowest wages for nurses, and has the highest taxes in the country. And do you know what happens when wages drop? People leave the country or leave the profession because they can no longer afford to live that way. Or they go to agencies, which really ends up costing more for the hospitals and therefore the government. But whatever, I guess you will all see when the same happens here!

uRNmyway, ASN, RN

1,080 Posts

Specializes in Med-Surg.
What makes you think doctor's offices will be hiring more RNs to teach the patients? They have removed RNs and even the LPNs from their offices! Why? Because they can work the MA (with significantly less education) for much less. Plus they can get the MA to do things that RNs know better. Have you ever had some education from an MA? I have. What a mess. All the doctors I have used in my area the MAs have no clue. Sorry but that's just the facts.

Yup, as it is, I spoke to a pediatrician who told me she would love to hire me but she only can afford ONE RN, and for the rest she is hiring MAs. Thinks its going to get better guys?

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