Healthcare is NOT a basic human right.

[Asystole RN]

If one were to read the Constitution one would realize that the Constitution does not grant anyone freedoms, liberties, or rights. The Constitution only protects freedoms, liberties, and rights from transgressions on part of the government. A right is something that is inherent to the individual, comes from that individual, and is maintained by the individual. You are born with such rights like the right to speak freely, the only thing that can be done to that right is to have it infringed. No one can grant a right to another, only limit or impede the exercise of that right.

Healthcare is a human invention that does not exist in the natural environment. Only through the work of others and through the taking of resources from one party and giving to another does healthcare exist. You cannot force someone to give effort and resources to another and call that a right. In the absence of human intervention the individual would live their lives and succumb to the natural forces which would act upon their bodies.

Do I think we should provide preventative care and basic primary care? Sure. Do I think that we can? Maybe. Do I think that healthcare is a basic human right? Absolutely not.

[uRNmyway, ASN, RN]

I completely agree. I work in HH too, in GA. I have spoken to accounting about this, and was told that we basically make pennies on the dollar in profit when we take Medicare/Medicaid cases. And I can't see how it will get any better in the years to come with all the cutbacks.

[cdsga]

Unsung heroes in nursing in my book-We see things others don't and never will subject themselves to. When you work in other's environment that's where rubber meets the road people.

[withasmilelpn]

Quote from realmaninuniformThis is to 37 degrees - No it is not irrelevant, whether you are or in your case NOT a nurse. This is a site and a thread for NURSES. You are clearly not one. Did anyone else just hear that? It was 37 degrees' credibility going down the drain.... We deal with the sick, the injured, the young, the dieing, 24/7... What do you do? Haunt internet chat boards attempting to prove something which has already been debunked time and time again? All in the name of "research"? Take your propaganda somewhere else comrade. It's not welcome here in the land of the free, and home of the brave!"

And in our land, we have the 'right' to free speech. Don't trample on 37 degree's rights because you don't agree with him. I for one don't care if he's a janitor. What he has to say is interesting, just as this debate is interesting. What you think is as valid as him and this is an important topic to all. It needs to be discussed - respectfully please.

[mc3, ASN, RN]

I worked for a "reputable" home health agency in Florida. I left after two months due to the absolutely wasteful practices and policies. It was disgusting, but I was told "well, we can do it, so we are". It's made me very bitter toward home health agencies overall. More governmental involvement will just make it worse. Done an OASIS, anyone?

I want the government out of my healthcare.

mc3:nurse:

[FMF Corpsman, MSN, RN]

I completely agree. I work in HH too, in GA. I have spoken to accounting about this, and was told that we basically make pennies on the dollar in profit when we take Medicare/Medicaid cases. And I can't see how it will get any better in the years to come with all the cutbacks.

And therein lies the problem. Where reimbursement is already so low it barely pays to care for Medicare/Medicaid pt's and ObamaCare promising to come along and cut an additional 11%, no one is going to be willing to accept these patients when they are D/Ced from the Hospital, causing a backup and a higher hospital bill for the increased time in house. Let's say, God forbid, Romney gets elected and ObamaCare is repealed, Romney has already stated he's going to cut NPR, and EVERY other non-essential program, what chance do you think healthcare for the poor and disenfranchised has of making the cut? I would say just about zip. The man has more money than the last 14 Presidents combined, he is not altruistic by nature. I don't particularly care for Obama either but they have yet to establish the None of the Above Selection, so we are stuck with one of them. There is an idiom that says "it's better the devil you know, than than the devil you don't," it's something that you say to mean it is better to deal with a person or thing you know, even if you do not like them, than to deal with a new person or thing who could be even worse.

[toekneejo, ADN]

Welp, I thank everyone for their opinions and wish you all well. I for one am tired of beating a dead horse. I believe I now understand the mindset of those who want ACA and believe I have stated my disagreements with it. May God help us to a reasonable outcome!

[lykeen]

If we never changed anything in the Constitution I'd still only be three-fifths of a person.

I wholeheartedly agree! There is a reason they are called 'amendments'!

[DoGoodThenGo]

And therein lies the problem. Where reimbursement is already so low it barely pays to care for Medicare/Medicaid pt's and ObamaCare promising to come along and cut an additional 11%, no one is going to be willing to accept these patients when they are D/Ced from the Hospital, causing a backup and a higher hospital bill for the increased time in house. Let's say, God forbid, Romney gets elected and ObamaCare is repealed, Romney has already stated he's going to cut NPR, and EVERY other non-essential program, what chance do you think healthcare for the poor and disenfranchised has of making the cut? I would say just about zip. The man has more money than the last 14 Presidents combined, he is not altruistic by nature. I don't particularly care for Obama either but they have yet to establish the None of the Above Selection, so we are stuck with one of them. There is an idiom that says "it's better the devil you know, than than the devil you don't," it's something that you say to mean it is better to deal with a person or thing you know, even if you do not like them, than to deal with a new person or thing who could be even worse.

No one is repealing anything, regardless of what Romney, other republicans and or the pundits say. There might be some tweaking here and there and of course years from now the thing may not look as it does when started (as with SSI ), but make no mistake "Obamacare" is here to stay, period.

The only thing that may or could happen is someday, somehow, and someway the United States moves towards a single payer system in whole or part.

[FMF Corpsman, MSN, RN]

I worked for a "reputable" home health agency in Florida. I left after two months due to the absolutely wasteful practices and policies. It was disgusting, but I was told "well, we can do it, so we are". It's made me very bitter toward home health agencies overall. More governmental involvement will just make it worse. Done an OASIS, anyone?

I want the government out of my healthcare.

mc3:nurse:

You are absolutely right; There are indeed Agencies that need to be shutdown. Their practices are corrupt and should leave a bitter taste in the mouth of any nurse, or let me re-word that, ethical human being on the planet. Just because you can get 10 visits for a particular patient, if in fact they don't warrant them, the best practice is to do what is necessary and close the case, not milk it for all it's worth. Practices like those will simply come back to haunt you when it comes time for inspections later. Maybe not right away, but they will catch up to you sometime. Those who run their agencies like that tend to get greedy, and do it more and more often. The worst part about it is that everyone ends up paying the price for it, even those who are doing things the ethically and by the book, and the regs still get tightened and reimbursements still get reduced as a result of a few greedy people.

[DoGoodThenGo]

This debate is about universal health care. Not food stamps, welfare, race, status, etc. Some people equate universal health care with handouts, when the idea behind it benefits everyone. Sure, I pay more in taxes than someone who makes less. By doing so, this ensures that they have access to care, as do I.

Well if one examines how other nations go about universal healthcare it is part and parcel of a scheme that works from the notion there is a basic social level that no person should fall below. This includes housing, food, education and yes access to quality healthcare services.

Merely providing someone with health insurance is not going to keep them healthy if they cannot afford a proper diet for themselves and their families. Ditto if they are living in unsanitary and or unhealthy living conditions or no "home" at all (homeless).

We know that stress takes a huge toll on the human body in both mental and physical health. Giving a homeless or very poor person health insurance whilst still allowing them to live under a bridge is hardly a good use of funds.

When doing a discharge plan do you not inquire about the patient's home situation? Do they have insurance to pay for meds? Can they have the proper diet to not only aid recovery but promote proper health?

[cdsga]

We patch em up and send em packin'. We are trying to make everyone have the same mindset-you find that out when you enter squalor hoarded homes-to try and treat sick people. You report what you see and the state comes behind. If that ever happens. Lot's of places I went to had animal excrement on the floor throughout the house, dirt, tarps over the back of houses, piles of dirty dishes, chicken houses blowing chicken feces everywhere, tons of stuff everywhere, no heat, burning trash for fuel. Fix people's meds try to educate on diabetic diet when there's nothing but hoho's and diet drinks in the house. It was amazing that these folks lived only a few miles down the road from me. But you do the best you can and try to work with people to find just one thing that will help them. Insurance won't save you-it may prolong your life, whatever that is. And in some of these cases I worked with-it wasn't much of what I would call a life.

[RNfaster]

Regarding objections to universal healthcare and/or considering healthcare to be a human right....

What if we don't consider ourselves simply as individuals, but rather as also part of something greater - as a part of humanity? And If we are a conscientious part of humanity, shouldn't we behave in a humane way toward one another and care for one another?