Cover the Uninsured Week March 10-16

Nurses General Nursing

Published

As some may have heard or read or seen on TV in the form of informational commercials, in the United States, there are 41+ million people who are not covered by health insurance. As the commercial goes, 8 out of 10 of those uninsured are people who are employed.

Cover the Uninsured Week is "an effort to sensitize the public and opinion leaders to the plight of the more than 41 million Americans who lack health insurance."

About Cover the Uninsured Week

Cover the Uninsured Week is an effort to bring this important and ignored issue to the forefront by an impressively large group of partners, patrons, benefactors, sponsors, and supporters which include the ANA to the YMCA and many reputable groups in-between. AND by individuals like you and me.

http://covertheuninsuredweek.org/involved/

Some facts:

*The uninsured represent 14.6 percent of the population.

*Uninsured Americans come from every race, age and ethnic group.

*Nearly a quarter of them are children."

More facts

As nurses, we have the opportunity to help. Help individuals by learning what resources are available to them.

Find out more about the legislation that is being proposed by Congress and the administration of our current President:

Legislation.

This IS NOT about a Single Payer healthcare system or Universal Healthcare, this IS about adressing the very serious healthcare crisis that is happening NOW in this country.

"The Covering The Uninsured Campaign does not endorse a particular solution to the problem of the uninsured, but it invites you to join the national discussion so that practical solutions can be found."

Get involved. Sign the proclamation! When you do it is forwarded to a company called GMMB, an advocacy agency who is uniting the voices into one large ROAR! Print it, take it to work, collect signatures and mail it to Sarah Moss c/o GMMB 1010 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite 800, Washington DC, 20007 . That's my plan.

It's the least we can do to try and make a contribution for the better.

Signed. Thanks.

Signed and copied to send with my daughter to her school let all those nursing students have a chance to sign.

It can happen to any body,I only didn't have insurance for 2 months. I had just moved to NC and had just gotten a job , it was enough time for my son to get struck by a car, thrown down the road to the neighbors driveway. Thank god all that was hurt was his elbow which was shattered at that time it cost fifty thousand dollars. deb

Signed, thanks for the heads up! It seems in my little hole in America that noone gets the news out! Thank goodness for ALLNURSES.COM!

As for , aside from here, I have NEVER EVER been told by anyone of my employers, school, coworkers, anyone, to get it. I was told that my employer has malpractice insurance on all it's employees anyway. Someone want to enlighten me? Whats the big deal, where do I get it, and how much does it cost? I DO work in OB, so any info would be appreciated!

3/11/2003

"Tuesday: Student Organizations Plan On Campus Events on the Uninsured, Teaching Guide Developed"

"Nurses are committed to a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and families where everyone, including the uninsured, receives the quality of care they need and deserve."

-Geraldine Bednash, PhD, RN Executive Director, American Association of Colleges of Nursing

Press release, Quotes, Teaching Guide

"The state Medicaid cuts proposed by Gov. Jeb Bush include an estimated $5.52 million in Volusia County and $162,000 in Flagler County, and would lead to heavier tax burdens on local governments, increased costs to patients and elimination of some costly procedures, according to the hospital officials.

For Montye Conlan, 49, who has multiple sclerosis, the cuts would mean losing the care and medication that keeps her disease from progressing. The Ormond-by-the-Sea resident, who spoke at the City Hall rally kicking off the national Cover the Uninsured Week, faces losing her coverage under a state program for the medically needy. As of May 1, if the cuts go through, she would be required to pay $410 out of her $860 monthly disability income to remain in the Medicaid program.

"I would have to sell my house," she said.

....

"We need an organized system," Smith, 71, told the small gathering at the local Cover the Uninsured rally. Although he didn't use the words national health care, Smith, a former president of the Florida Medical Association, said a solution must be found to ensure that "health care is a right in America.""

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Local/areaA1031103.htm

It seems us geniuses at Allnurses are not the only ones who debate the question of healthcare being a "right" in the US.

"If the number sounds horrific it is because it is - for the uninsured. As a practical matter, it should strike everyone as horrific, because those of us with insurance are paying for the health care of every one of those million people through inflated insurance premiums and higher taxes.

MidMichigan Health Systems President and Chief Executive Officer Terry Moore told me recently that health system today has all the "perfect storm" elements of a disaster waiting to happpen.

And many of the elements he related to me were eerily missing from Monday's press conference. While the politicians want to add more people to the Medicaid rolls, the simple fact of the matter is that many doctors won't take them. Why? Because the state reimburses doctors only 43 cents for every dollar billed. As one doctor recently told me, he loses less money by closing his office in an afternoon than he does by taking care of just a handful of people covered by Medicaid.

That reimbursement rate isn't going to get any better soon. This year's upcoming state budget allocates only a 1 percent increase for Medicaid spending, far less than the double-digit inflation expected in the health care industry."

http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2289&dept_id=472539&newsid=7332226&PAG=461&rfi=9

Originally posted by ShandyLynnRN

I was told that my employer has malpractice insurance on all it's employees anyway. Someone want to enlighten me? Whats the big deal, where do I get it, and how much does it cost?

Most all nurses are covered by their employers , but BEWARE. While you are covered, when it comes right down to it and you are (heaven forbid) facing a lawsuit, you have to remember that it is your employer's legal department that assigns an attorney for you, and you can be sure that that attorney will be looking out for the best interests of the hospital and not your best interests. This is actually something I was taught in the last couple of months of my nursing program.

I got my insurance through NSO, it costs $43/yr. It includes 1 million liability coverage for each claim, up to 6 million in aggregate coverage, an attorney to personally represent me, license protection, deposition representation, expense benefits, assault coverage, personal injury liability, personal liability coverage, medical payments, property damage, first aid expenses, and 24/7 worldwide protection. The good thing is that this insurance covers me first and foremost.

Shandy,

Totally agree with what Sally said about carrying your own . My hospital doesn't go out on a limb now to help/protect me, why on earth would they if we were named in a lawsuit? My employer looks out for number 1 in their book, and that is them. The rest of us of just expendable....I also have NSO insurance. Mine costs about $80 a year. Not sure what the difference in between my rate and Sally's. Maybe has something to do with the area we work in or the part of the country we are in. Anyway, I hope you look into getting your own malpractice insurance NOW....

I don't tell my patients that I have it but I think that is because it doesn't come up in the normal course of conversation....:D I don't know if some patients would even think about nurses carrying their own insurance.

I think the difference in my rate is because I signed a few years ago when I was a new grad. As I look through my documents now, I do pay $80/yr. My mistake.

Originally posted by Sally_ICURN

I think the difference in my rate is because I signed a few years ago when I was a new grad. As I look through my documents now, I do pay $80/yr. My mistake.

Yeah, my rates were lower when I was a student too...but $80 a year is not a bad deal when it comes to protecting my hiney....;)

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Shandy--- working in OB I cannot believe you don't have ---I literally shudder at the thought!!!! Your hospital insurance is NOT designed to cover YOU, but the hospital itself and its best interests, as stated above. Plus, YOU have NO way of knowing just HOW good that coverage is or what limitations it has. It is plum foolish to rely on an employer to cover you. Really. I wish you luck!

I guess I just never really thought about it! Honestly, I never thought about the fact that the insurance provided by my employer wasn't enough. I don't know if it's just because I work in a very small hospital, or a more rural area, but I can't believe noone I work with or went to school with or employers never mentioned it. I am definitely going to look into it ASAP!

Anyone else working in OB that doesn't have their own insurance??

http://www.nso.com/

Hope it helps...

Thanks!

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