National Health Insurance

Hopegirl · May 20, 2004

I am curious how other nurses feel about a proposed National Health Insurance that would cover all Americans? Do you feel it would help or hurt the health care system we currently have.
I am doing research for a school paper (finally getting a BSN after 31 years as an RN :) ).
Thank you for any replies.

Well, let me start by saying that I am not a nurse. However, I have a unique perspective on the subject, as I am an American who lived in England for almost a year. I can say that if we were to adopt a system similar to theirs, that it would be for the worst in most cases. While it would be good in emergency situations for those individuals who are without insurance, it would hurt most working adults. My husband is British, and he contributed over $400 a month to the National Healthcare System, and for that, you seem to get very poor treatment. He paid an additional premium into private insurance, so that if he injured his knee and needed surgery, he wouldn't have to wait years to get it. See, that's the problem with NHS in England. There are individuals there who are dying from curable cancers due to the fact that they cannot provide treatment. Here's a terrible story to illustrate the point:

My father-in-law was told that he need a quadrupole (sp?) heart bypass, but that they couldn't get to him for SIX weeks! In the US he would have been admitted immediately. Further, when his six week timeslot came around, they had to reschedule because they didn't have any open beds in ICU. So he had an appointment for two weeks later. Well, same thing happened again. Let's keep in mind here that he could have literally died at any point from when he was originally told. So all in all it took him 3 1/2 months to have surgery on a life threatening condition. I mean, that is just unacceptable.

I used to be a big supporter of national healthcare, but then I learned the truth. I believe that those unemployed, students, and others deserve to receive adequate medical treatment in times of need, but not at the expense of everyone else in the country. My husband paid so much into the "pool" to cover those who just didn't want to work! So I just found it to be a completely frustrating and pointless system. So many problems with it. It defintely needs a revamping, but I'm just not sure that a governmental program like that could ever be managed correctly.

Anyway, that's just my .02! :)

-J

Dplear · May 20, 2004

Not this national healthcare insurance crap AGAIN....Look aroun here and you will see many threads on this very subject. Please let this one die...

Dave :uhoh3:

deermedicine · May 20, 2004

I apologize if this question upset you. I did try to look through other threads but could not find what I was looking for to continue my research on nurses' opinions. I am new to this site. I was told it was a terrific site to ask questions. Maybe not!

pgrsctrn2be · May 21, 2004

As I am new to this site also, I thought it was an interesting subject. Also people's opitions change over time due to different experiences in their lives, as proved by a previous poster.

I think we need some type of system, just not the same type as in England for many reasons. In the area I live there are som many companies closing and folks here have no jobs or insurance. I work in a doctors office for now and I'm seeing alot of patients cancel appointments due to the cost of care or they wait to long to be seen for simple problems that could be treated cheaply if only they could come in to the office.

Very sad situations around here

fiestynurse · May 21, 2004

here is a good website that may help you in your research:

http://www.healthcareforall.org/

Our current healthcare system is in crisis, so the topic of Universal Health care is not going to go away. (Sorry Dplear)

Hopegirl talks about the system in England, which is a poorly funded socialized system. The Canadain National Health care program is a single payer system, which is the type of system being proposed in the U.S.

gwenith, BSN, RN · May 21, 2004

I live and work in a national health care system and would not change it. It is not perfect but it does work. Yes we have waiting lists but in all things it is priority first and if ANYTHING happens that makes your condition worse you are bumped up the list.

We do have the option to pay extra so there is no waiting and that is good. I am not saying that our system is perfect - far from it but it does not cost an arm and a leg as health care insurance in the states and it does certainly cover for needs.

I am willing to answer any questions about the Australian system.

fiestynurse · May 21, 2004

Here is the website for "Physicians for a National Health Program"

http://www.pnhp.org/

jyoung1950 · May 21, 2004

What does "single payer system" mean?

here is a good website that may help you in your research:
http://www.healthcareforall.org/
Our current healthcare system is in crisis, so the topic of Universal Health care is not going to go away. (Sorry Dplear)
Hopegirl talks about the system in England, which is a poorly funded socialized system. The Canadain National Health care program is a single payer system, which is the type of system being proposed in the U.S.

fiestynurse · May 21, 2004

It is a single insurance plan administered by a single government agency, at the local, state or federal level.