How many of you nurses do NOT have health insurance

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I'm a LPN working partime and don't qualify for health insurance. The reason why I'm not working full-time at the moment is because I start RN school in February 2011 ( hopefully). Sometimes I get really down about this. Even my cousins dog have insurance and I don't. He's even getting his flu shot next week and I haven't got mine and I'm a nurse ! I'm recently seperated so ofcourse my ex dropped me from his plan. I guess I just needed to vent about this. :o:o

Specializes in FNP.
Sad reality of life in America.....some nurses who work their bu**s off don't have insurance.....but the illegals get to deliver babies all for free.....courtesy of Uncle Sam.....not only that, they also get checks and assistance!

I am insured. But it feels like I don't really get a good benefit from being insured. There is still co-payment. And if your insurance says they will only cover $700 out of your $1000 diagnostic test, then you will still have to cough up 300 bucks! And what if you don't have $30 to spare for co-payment? Then you can't go to the doc even if you have insurance right?

Please don't refer to human beings as "illegals." That nomenclature is really offensive to all human beings, and ranks right up there with the "N" word IMO. They are properly called "undocumented persons." And you are misinformed, undocumented persons cannot get "checks and assistance" from Uncle Sam. They can get emergency medicaid, which provides about 6-8 weeks of coverage. All this does is ensure that the provider gets paid something. The only thing the undocumented mother gets is, hopefully, a safe delivery and a healthy baby. I'm sure you agree all human beings are entitled to that little regardless of their immigration status. There is more than enough wrong with our health care system to render it unnecessary to make up lies and spread propaganda to make your point.

Thanks,

anglo human rights advocate, and linearthinking RN

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

i am going to try to stay on topic and not make this an immigration issue so bear with me. illegal is illegal, you may be personally offended and i respect that as your right but that is a clear definition as the law clearly states. using the "negro" word is a slang term used for legal american's to belittle the black or african american community with the purpose of "keeping them down and putting them in their place" which is deplorable.

an illegal, is illegal, it's not about being a human being, these human beings which are illegal... are illegal. there is no comparison here and you are in need of jessie jackson, whom will not take you up on your plight to fight for you.

to compare a racist comment to the plight of illegals crazy! this is not racism, it's about illegals sucking off the system, while our black community faces real racism in america. our legal african americans have legal rights and don't mistake that for your law breaking folks. we can't even protect out black community whom are legal!

back on topic.. i have health insurance, a fairly good plan. had my daughter almost die in a car wreck from a hit and run... my employer has sent me to collections, refused to pay as this is some unnamed persons fault, and my credit is ruined, my daughters as well as they refuse to pay the hospital bills from her injury. an yes i'm fully insured only through them. now i've had to get a lawyer to fight to make my insurance pay what they promised in the plan, meanwhile our credit is screwed, i'm in collections from the place i work from.

so anyone want insurance through my facility? sign on.... high premiums and ruined credit for 7 years and they've still not payed in 6 months. hence my lawyer. so insurance is not all it's cracked up to be. don't kid yourself. they find every way to not pay.

please don't refer to human beings as "illegals." that nomenclature is really offensive to all human beings, and ranks right up there with the "n" word imo. they are properly called "undocumented persons." and you are misinformed, undocumented persons cannot get "checks and assistance" from uncle sam. they can get emergency medicaid, which provides about 6-8 weeks of coverage. all this does is ensure that the provider gets paid something. the only thing the undocumented mother gets is, hopefully, a safe delivery and a healthy baby. i'm sure you agree all human beings are entitled to that little regardless of their immigration status. there is more than enough wrong with our health care system to render it unnecessary to make up lies and spread propaganda to make your point.

thanks,

anglo human rights advocate, and linearthinking rn

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

I am fortunate enough to work in a place that allows part time to have health insurance. When full time, it was free and only $50 a month for my husband; now that I went part time for a spell I pay $50 for my husband and $50 for myself. It is pretty crappy insurance (Blue Cross) but it is still insurance. I use to work in an office and learned: if you want good insurance, join the service or become a teacher: working in health care does not guarantee good health benefits!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

I'm not eligible for insurance at my current job yet, so I'm on COBRA from my last job. It's crappy (CIGNA is evil), but it's cheap; $695 a month for 2 people, with 80% coverage and no prescription drug benefit. My husband recently had surgery, so we need to be insured.

I applied for a seasonal job at UPS, and I'm hoping to stay on past the holidays if hired. The pay isn't great, but the benefits are excellent. According to the recruiter, 80% of the employees at the site where I'm applying are there for the benefits.

I never dreamed that being a nurse would mean working 2 jobs, or scrambling for health insurance.

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Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

Oh dear. Erm...well I'm English. I have 100% coverage.

It's called the NHS.

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Specializes in FNP.
i am going to try to stay on topic and not make this an immigration issue so bear with me. illegal is illegal, you may be personally offended and i respect that as your right but that is a clear definition as the law clearly states. using the "negro" word is a slang term used for legal american's to belittle the black or african american community with the purpose of "keeping them down and putting them in their place" which is deplorable.

an illegal, is illegal, it's not about being a human being, these human beings which are illegal... are illegal. there is no comparison here and you are in need of jessie jackson, whom will not take you up on your plight to fight for you.

to compare a racist comment to the plight of illegals crazy! this is not racism, it's about illegals sucking off the system, while our black community faces real racism in america. our legal african americans have legal rights and don't mistake that for your law breaking folks. we can't even protect out black community whom are legal!

back on topic.. i have health insurance, a fairly good plan. had my daughter almost die in a car wreck from a hit and run... my employer has sent me to collections, refused to pay as this is some unnamed persons fault, and my credit is ruined, my daughters as well as they refuse to pay the hospital bills from her injury. an yes i'm fully insured only through them. now i've had to get a lawyer to fight to make my insurance pay what they promised in the plan, meanwhile our credit is screwed, i'm in collections from the place i work from.

so anyone want insurance through my facility? sign on.... high premiums and ruined credit for 7 years and they've still not payed in 6 months. hence my lawyer. so insurance is not all it's cracked up to be. don't kid yourself. they find every way to not pay.

i find these comments highly objectionable and totally inconsistent wit the ethos of nursing. you should be ashamed.

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Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

I don't find them objectionable at all. That is the reality of private health insurance.

Even in this country (UK) insurance companies try every which way to wriggle out of paying. How do I know? My sister-in-law works for one.

As for "illegals" I can imagine this is a problem in a private pay system. Not here. The UK will treat first, ask questions later.

Yet all you US folks seem dead against a universal system like the NHS.

Go figure.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
There are certain benefits working for the state or gov. No weekend or holidays and working an 8 to 5. This is a dream job for most people. Its is mostly the pay people have problems with overall.

Don't forget the pensions that are out of this world, but which are also making the states' pension plans go bankrupt. Many government pensions allow retirement before the age of 60 with nearly 50% of pay for the rest of one's life. Work to full retirement age (65) and it can be up to 100%. Private sector pensions--the few that still exist in the traditional form--offer less than 50% of pay at full retirement age.

The pay for government work, however, isn't all that bad, either.

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I got no medical insurance... I am waiting for someone to get fired so I can be a Full-Time so I can have health insurance (although i work 17-19 days in a month [20 days to be fulltimer])

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.
And you are misinformed, undocumented persons cannot get "checks and assistance" from Uncle Sam. They can get emergency medicaid, which provides about 6-8 weeks of coverage. All this does is ensure that the provider gets paid something. The only thing the undocumented mother gets is, hopefully, a safe delivery and a healthy baby. I'm sure you agree all human beings are entitled to that little regardless of their immigration status. There is more than enough wrong with our health care system to render it unnecessary to make up lies and spread propaganda to make your point.

Thanks,

anglo human rights advocate, and linearthinking RN

Um, maybe not from "Uncle Sam" (I truly don't know), but from my particular state, people-who-don't-have-a-green-card-and-came-here-without-doing-any-paperwork-required-by-law-but-managed-to-get-an-SSN-by-stealing-it-on-the-black-market-or-working-the-system can apply for and get free/reduced lunches and state medical aid, at least. I haven't looked into the other state programs they are eligible for, but I ran across those little factoids purely by chance.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

here is the kicker - I pay a portion of my health care coverage. Starting January I will pay higher taxes overall and also pay taxes on the amount my employer pays for my health care insurance. Meanwhile, illegals get free care in my state by just crossing the border ILLEGALLY. Makes my blood boil.....

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the term illegal alien has been widely used. it describes a person who is in a country not legally. if you are offended by the term personally and have personal issues about it, i sincerely hope you could seek professional counselling so that you'll come to terms with it.

i sure hope that you know what you are talking about before you become an advocate of anything. it is not a secret that mothers who are not documented but give birth here automatically have a child who is a us citizen, who can later petition the illegal alien mother and father to become a green card holder, and thus, become a citizen afterwards. not only that, who do you think pays for their medical expenses if they don’t have any money to cover their fees? and while the mother don’t get checks and aids directly, obviously, the us citizen child is now entitled to some freebies and money. and since the baby is a minor, guess who gets the money?

i stated that fact because i personally know what i am talking about. i am a us citizen now and came here through the legal means. but why do you think some pregnant woman from a far away land who just has enough money for airfare is hustling her way to america to have a us citizen baby if she will not get anything?

[color=#333333]the sad reality in america is that you can be a us citizen and work all day and all night, pay your taxes right…..and boom…..one illness could make you bankrupt. and you don’t even qualify for charity care…..because your salary as a nurse makes you “too rich” to even qualify for that! but ironically, you can be an illegal immigrant and drop five “anchor babies”(baby with a mother who is not documented but since the baby is a us citizen, the mom could technically get benefits for the baby). don’t worry, uncle sam will pay for your health insurance ( $1,500 a month value ), give you $750 a month per kid living expenses ( that is $3700 a month tax free ), you qualify for government housing discount , plus$800 food stamps ,welfare check of $1000 ! giving you a grand total $5,550 ! and the fun part is, you don't even need a job ! to earn that amount net after income taxes you would need a salary of over $ 100,000 per year with about a 35% tax deduction.

[color=#333333]i personally have nothing against those who are not documented. but reality is reality and just had to cite it and voice out my opinions. i have encountered many patients who are not in this country legally. and i have treated them with utmost respect and compassionate care. but the health system needs to be fixed-----now!

please don't refer to human beings as "illegals." that nomenclature is really offensive to all human beings, and ranks right up there with the "n" word imo. they are properly called "undocumented persons." and you are misinformed, undocumented persons cannot get "checks and assistance" from uncle sam. they can get emergency medicaid, which provides about 6-8 weeks of coverage. all this does is ensure that the provider gets paid something. the only thing the undocumented mother gets is, hopefully, a safe delivery and a healthy baby. i'm sure you agree all human beings are entitled to that little regardless of their immigration status. there is more than enough wrong with our health care system to render it unnecessary to make up lies and spread propaganda to make your point.

thanks,

anglo human rights advocate, and linearthinking rn

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