Gas going ^ to $4 per gallon, How are you homehealth nurses doing it??

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Aug 30, 2005

Every day in the local papers home health agencies are advertising for help. Since we are a rural state, have a rather low pay scale, and minimal assistance is given on gas to the home health nurses, I do not think many are considering a change to this type of nursing. Only the hard core, dedicated, truly into home health are sticking to these jobs. Some nurse I know distantly stated her agency was giving an extra 25.00 on checks to cover gas increased, but that is not going to be enough now.

1017sharonrn2003 · Aug 30, 2005

So far, the HH agency that I work for in PA gives us the goverment rate for mile reinbursment, 0.40 1/2 cents per mile. With my car, I just about break even, but if prices continue to riase, I might be needing to ask for a raise. If the agencies are smart, they will know that they need to come up w/a solution to the raising cost of gas or we'll be stuck using bikes to get back and forth to cl homes.

babynurselsa, RN · Aug 30, 2005

:rotfl: i work hospice and am crying all the way to the pump.

We were kidding today about getting those little electric scooters with big baskets

Hairstylingnurse · Aug 30, 2005

:rotfl: i work hospice and am crying all the way to the pump.
We were kidding today about getting those little electric scooters with big baskets

:rotfl: :rotfl: That is a pretty funny thing to picture babynurselsa But seriously guys, won't the homehealth agencies just pass the increase along to the pt. or insurance companies????? They can't expect the nurse to suck up the cost. I took a job today at a ltcf prn and want to pick up some homehealth cases( I love hh)but don't know that is is reasonable even at the prices of gas today much less this fall when they go up again. Does $25 a visit sound right or should I consider myself doing charity while in hh:chuckle ? Please let me know what you think? Are any of you really asking your supervisors what they plan on doing?????? I wish they had a company car and would let me drive that . I know, I can dream on

renerian, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2005

WE are just broaching this subject now. The aides are dropping like flies.

ren

CardioTrans, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2005

:rotfl: :rotfl: That is a pretty funny thing to picture babynurselsa But seriously guys, won't the homehealth agencies just pass the increase along to the pt. or insurance companies????? They can't expect the nurse to suck up the cost. I took a job today at a ltcf prn and want to pick up some homehealth cases( I love hh)but don't know that is is reasonable even at the prices of gas today much less this fall when they go up again. Does $25 a visit sound right or should I consider myself doing charity while in hh:chuckle ? Please let me know what you think? Are any of you really asking your supervisors what they plan on doing?????? I wish they had a company car and would let me drive that . I know, I can dream on

The thing about increasing the prices for Medicare and insurance companies........... In all the agencies I have ever worked for there has been no negotiation on what is charged. The reimbursement is based on a HHRG score from OASIS (however that will be changing in the next few months) or a contract price. With our private ins comp when a contract is negotiated, the charge cant change until the contract is renegotiated.

Our company just recently went up to $0.37/mile. Not too much when you think that most of us drive 100+ miles each day at $3.00/gallon now.

renerian, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2005

Wish the costs could be passed on for Medicaid but the rates are frozen and the rates stink..Medicare has some wiggle room to take it out of what you make for the episode UH if your lucky to make anything LOL.

I had two of my friends call and resigned from HHA yesterday/nurses due to not getting gas reimbursement, mileage or something to help........

ren

Hairstylingnurse · Sep 2, 2005

Hi again everyone, Let me tell ya I was out at 11:00 pm looking for gas I found it at the 4th gas station. I'm in sw. florida & almost all of gas sations were out of gas. I am getting kinda scared about the way things are going in our world right now. I'm really upset with the way all those pitiful people in new orleans are being treated. 4 days with no clean water or safe conditions. That is a scary thought. I think it was the today show this morning that pointed out if our country is this ill prepared for a natural disaster, how the heck would we be able to handle a terrorist attack??????? That is a horrible thought. Hey I'm right here where WE had all those hurricanes last year and we went without elec. & phones but we were getting food & water. I was lucky I just moved my family in with my brother which had elec. & food. I feel soooo horrible. It is scary to know that could be anyone of us going thru the same crap during the next hurricane. I need a drink:uhoh21: :smokin: :cheers: :beer: :redlight: Ya know what I'm not much of a drinker & I don't smoke but I'm thinking it may be time to start. Have a great weekend everyone and please keep me posted how you homehealth nurses are dealing with the gas hikes.

grannynurse FNP student · Sep 2, 2005

Hi again everyone, Let me tell ya I was out at 11:00 pm looking for gas I found it at the 4th gas station. I'm in sw. florida & almost all of gas sations were out of gas. I am getting kinda scared about the way things are going in our world right now. I'm really upset with the way all those pitiful people in new orleans are being treated. 4 days with no clean water or safe conditions. That is a scary thought. I think it was the today show this morning that pointed out if our country is this ill prepared for a natural disaster, how the heck would we be able to handle a terrorist attack??????? That is a horrible thought. Hey I'm right here where WE had all those hurricanes last year and we went without elec. & phones but we were getting food & water. I was lucky I just moved my family in with my brother which had elec. & food. I feel soooo horrible. It is scary to know that could be anyone of us going thru the same crap during the next hurricane. I need a drink:uhoh21: :cheers: :beer: :redlight: Ya know what I'm not much of a drinker & I don't smoke but I'm thinking it may be time to start. Have a great weekend everyone and please keep me posted how you homehealth nurses are dealing with the gas hikes.

Don't know what part of SW Florida you are in. Charlotte County, depends on which gas station and part of the county you go to, some stations have gas, others do not. This shows just how poorly prepared we are for any type of disaster, man made or natural. Sorry but this President and his Administration have fallen down. To say that no city official notified the federal government officially, of the situation at the convention center is a joke. A very bad joke, played on the poorest people of this country. Sorry for going on but I am so frustrated, outraged, so upset. I would volunteer, right now, but my own health problems would make me more of a hinderence. If you can donate your time. If not, your money.

Grannynurse :balloons:

nursechamois · Sep 3, 2005

I've been getting very creative on my home health visits. I do my grocery shopping on my way home so I don't have to make an extra trip. It's helped.

Jay-Jay, RN · Sep 3, 2005

I just bought a hybrid vehicle. Also, our company is being VERY careful with the scheduling, helping nurses to plan their visits as efficiently as possible. We're also getting less flexible re. the timing of visits. If it's just wound care, we tell the client, "This is the time frame when I'm in your area. Deal with it! With gas prices the way they are, I can't be driving back and forth, all over the map!"