How soon we forget.

Nurses Activism

Published

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110131/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_overhaul

Seems part of the arguement against Obama's bill is that people are going to be forced to purchase health insurance. Well........why not? A lot of states mandate buying auto insurance. Which one is more important? Doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to say you have to have it. Might help put an end to medical businesses having to give it away free.

So soon we forget. Many threads and even more posts comment about the "free care" we must provide in the ER and everywhere else. Seems to me this would be a step in the right direction to solve it. Whats the issue?

Eh, I'm all for it. Tired of running pain meds to a bunch of fakes who don't pay only to see another pt. with a real ailment get second rate care.

Specializes in Renal/Telemetry; Critical Care.

Local hospitals in my area are now only hiring people who dont smoke! They must take a nicotin test to make sure their clean!! Crazy! Whats will be next? Prolly asking people to step on the scale! I dont smoke, never had but I believe this is going too far!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

Please check into your states unemployment health insurance. The premiums will be matched to your income. Sure you'll be paying some, but it won't be as outrageous as COBRA.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
See, for me, the "if you don't want to pay car insurance, don't drive" answer doesn't work. That takes my way to work away. Its not like its just a social frill. To me thats like saying "If you don't like paying for health insurance, stop breathing."

Talk to anyone on welfare or living on a fixed income (low income). They'll tell you having transportation is a huge separating factor between the middle class and them. They'll also tell you not having transportation to open up their job possibilities is part of what keeps them where they are. I believe it, I've lived it. I felt that way when I was a landscape laborer and couldn't afford a car. Again, its not just a social frill.

My biggest concern with it is, will the funds created from making people have insurance be the status que like........well, everything money related. Will huge portions of it go to politician/admin. pockets instead of towards providing healthcare? Thats what could kill the whole deal.

I still don't see a problem with mandating health insurance. Tired of coming on here and hearing about the person who wont pay their medical bills but has the latest/most expensive cell phone and smokes brand A cigarettes. Thats the mentality of a child who lives at home and thinks everything should be provided for them free with no responsibilities.

If thats how the general public acts, then treat'em like a child and take part of their allowance away. Make them pay for what they demand (healthcare).

But they are not going to have to pay because the bill allows medicaid to be expanded to 40 million plus more people. We will be babying more people than ever before under the new bill.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Trauma.

"Free care" is a myth. ER charges are inflated. Insurance companies get a discount. Uninsured are billed full price. If they can't pay, it's sold to a collection agency, and the hospital gets a tax write off. Since the hospital pays less taxes, others pay higher taxes. Don't know who pays higher taxes? Look in the mirror!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
Most certainly NOT your planet, thankfully. When I go to my doctor I make sure that everything is taken car of and addressed. I make sure that he does not run out of the room after 30 sec of examining me! I make sure that I get the care I deserve and if its a big procedure/acute I always make sure to get a second opinion. I was raised to make sure that I get the highest quality and I make that a reality for my patients on a daily basis. What do you think will happen when the new bill takes effect and MANY more people suddenly have health insurance? Duh there gonna be MUCH more patients and the patient to doctor ratio and nursing to patient ratio will be crazy.

I think that those who currently do not make their health a priority will continue to not make their health a priority, so I don't really know that there will be an influx. Perhaps more people going to a doctor's office for illness instead of ED's...but then again that requires forethought and planning (making an appointment), so probably not.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Lies pure and simple.

never let the truth get in the way of a good old ignorant right wing rant ...

Lies? If that was the case, then I'd have to ask why family members and friends literally left their countries (UK and CAN) to get urgent care in the US. I can't tell you how many times I have been told by those under socialized healthcare that it truly slows HC services to a crawl. You think there are lines in the US now, you have no idea. This has nothing to do with right wing or left-wing, simply to do with the fact that quality and speed is seriously curtailed when socialized medicine takes over. I would not be surprised if NHS goes bankrupt in a few years time which is why there is some severe rethinking going on right now to try and save it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
Obamacare isn't the answer because he'll use Obamamoney to pay for his plan and Obamamoney doesn't exist.

I thought the Congressional Budget Office was chock full of all the ways this was going to REDUCE the deficit. They've probably changed their mind since I last looked, lol.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
Not disagreeing with your overall message, but the difference between mandating auto insurance and mandating health insurance is that the auto insurance mandate is to protect society, other motororists, from uninsured drivers.

So, you don't think insured people with medical needs don't need protection from uninsured people with medical needs?

I do. Like I said, tired of catering to the high need, high demand non-payer to the point where it skimps the care for the payers.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
Lies? If that was the case, then I'd have to ask why family members and friends literally left their countries (UK and CAN) to get urgent care in the US. I can't tell you how many times I have been told by those under socialized healthcare that it truly slows HC services to a crawl. You think there are lines in the US now, you have no idea. This has nothing to do with right wing or left-wing, simply to do with the fact that quality and speed is seriously curtailed when socialized medicine takes over. I would not be surprised if NHS goes bankrupt in a few years time which is why there is some severe rethinking going on right now to try and save it.

Yeah, I was going to say, friend of mine in Canada a year or two back had to wait very long to have his gallbladder removed. It was kinda funny to see how it worked though. He'd go in to be seen every so often and get educated on what to expect. It was like.........."OK your gallbladder is being taken out in six months so here is what to expect...........".

Dang, if I had six months to do education with my patients, things would be a little different.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

One of my family members was diagnosed with cancer in Canada. She received immediate treatment from a surgeon of world renown as well as six weeks of follow-up nursing care at home. Her only expense was an optional fee for a private room. She didn't wait for anything.

Me? A couple of years ago, I had a foot injury in the good old US of A. I couldn't walk on my foot. Doc said he'd see me in six weeks; on the morning of the appointment, his office called to say he would not be available for another three months. That's what private insurance did for me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
One of my family members was diagnosed with cancer in Canada. She received immediate treatment from a surgeon of world renown as well as six weeks of follow-up nursing care at home. Her only expense was an optional fee for a private room. She didn't wait for anything.

Me? A couple of years ago, I had a foot injury in the good old US of A. I couldn't walk on my foot. Doc said he'd see me in six weeks; on the morning of the appointment, his office called to say he would not be available for another three months. That's what private insurance did for me.

Oh my. lol. What the...............

I'd have driven to the office and...............(beat the crap outta) pinched him really hard.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/ float.

To the op, why start this political BS conversation in the first place? You must be pretty damn proud of your healthcare coverage at the moment (while it lasts) however I am between jobs and may even be an educated, experienced nurse also. My wife has a pre-existing condition that requires regular brain MRI's. We are both on medications, We pay out of pocket like most do during this crappy job market. To be told I have to purchase obamacare would be simply unconstitional at best. This bill will fade just like the job market did. And then you can go back to complaining about the pt's that provide you with a living not paying their bills :uhoh3: As you get older you will see things much differently. political and religion discussion only creates hostility among people.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment