How would Medicare for all affect nursing?

[Emergent]

There's talk and hope in many quarters that the United States will end up with Medicare for all. How would this affect nursing?

I currently pay a lot for my portion of high deductible insurance through work. It's basically mainly useless to me since I'm healthy, don't take meds etc. Even going to the doctor would cost me.

Honestly, the middle class has become the new underserved in America. Frugal, responsible people think twice about going to the doctor because of huge copays that have made basic healthcare a budget buster.

How would Medicare for all affect the middle class, nursing in particular? Employers would no longer have to pay for insurance. Would they pass savings on to us in the form of higher wages? How would we fare economically with higher taxes? Would the poor government compensation to facilities drive down wages?

[Susie2310]

7 hours ago, osceteacher said:

Why did they wait years? I don't believe it would be due to a lack of available surgery, the NHS is far from perfect but in all my years of nursing I have never come across a delayed surgical procedure of years for any other reason than the patients ill health preventing it.

I just won't believe your story if your family member waited years because they didn't have capacity because it doesn't happen, there will always be a medical reason behind a delay of that length. Objectively the longest wait times for hips and knees for example is 255 days, and those are probably the longest wait times you'll see, those aren't the average.
The Tories have consistently broken the NHS, thats what happens when you vote a right wing government in to power. The US won't follow a UK style system so the comparisons are only marginally useful, the US would never give the government so much control over their healthcare.

You can believe what I wrote or not, as you choose. I can't give any details, but I have no information that the delay was due to ill health on the part of the patient. In my own experience, I have often wanted to say in various situations: "it doesn't happen," and then found out that it does. Your quoted statistics are irrelevant, and I would expect you to know that statistics don't apply to individuals.

In addition, I agree with the principles of the NHS. However, as we know, the quality of government run health care can vary depending on the priorities of the government.

[osceteacher]

16 hours ago, Susie2310 said:

Your quoted statistics are irrelevant, and I would expect you to know that statistics don't apply to individuals.

Well, I mean, they're slightly more relevant than your anecdotal evidence which is basically this happened to someone but I can't or won't tell you why.

Not looking for a fight, I was looking for information to be able to judge the voracity of the anecdote and if there were extenuating circumstances why there was 2+years delay for important surgery which I've never heard of in the NHS.

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

On 5/3/2019 at 10:53 AM, GrumpyRN said:

Beautiful deflection. ??

Now answer the point, you stated it does not work in real life and I pointed out that it does in Europe and other developed nations.

Are you saying that the richest country in the world (https://www.thewealthrecord.com/article/richest-countries-world-2019/ ) can't (or won't) look after its citizens.

"It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped."

"Compassion is not weakness, and concern for the unfortunate is not socialism."

Hubert H. Humphrey

It's obvious that enough voters don't care about moral authority from a government. If they did, Caligula wouldnt be prez.

[Fiona59]

On 4/14/2019 at 3:54 PM, nursej22 said:

I live very close to the Canadian border, and I have never seen or heard of this "Americans go to the front of the line". In fact, if you seek health care other than emergent, they want cash up front, period. We used to get transfers from north of the border where they would stabilize an MI, and then arrange for transport to the border, and be met by US medics to transport to acute care. My hubby sustained a fractured ankle in a softball game, and I drove him home for an Xray and walking boot.

If people are so suspicious of the government, then why don't we privatize the military? Or the fire department? Or FEMA? Or the CDC? Or the national parks? Or ICE and CBP?

I work in Canada. Over the years, we've seen it all from Americans. They come on vacation and don't buy travel health insurance "because you guys have free healthcare up here". I remember one family that had been diagnosed in the US, failed to buy travel insurance, headed up here on holiday and on day three presented to us needing surgery. It was a routine surgery, uncomplicated and a day procedure. They complained that they lost a day's vacation because they had to wait for the OR crew to assemble. This was on a Saturday, when that service only operates on emergent cases. We still wonder if they ever paid the bill we mailed to them.

There have even been posters on this site over the years who have asked about delivering in Canada to avoid paying for it in the US.

Unfortunately, we've used European healthcare while on vacation. Basically, if you have travel health insurance you get funnelled into their private hospitals. Spain will do anything to avoid putting you into their public system. The care is awesome, but they triage just like everywhere and you don't go to the head of the line, even in their private system. Many Spaniards carry private insurance to cover things or go to private hospitals when needed.

[Endo.J]

I think the statement about European Healthcare is a bit too broad sweeping. I had a dreadful experience in Spain (uncaring and not a hint of dignity) but I wouldn't expect that statement to reflect on the healthcare of all European countries.

As a Brit I have read this thread from beginning to end and have found it informative if at times inaccurate. My daughter is married to a Texan and they are moving over next year, she is 12 weeks pregnant, the pregnancy was planned so that she can give birth here before they have to leave with his job. I think she worries it might be a very clinical experience in the US.

As far as I can see there are pros and cons wherever you go. I do think it's an incredible presumption that healthcare is free in any country. The NHS now bills foreigners without cover but trying to get the money back is a nightmare. I can understand why you wonder if that bill ever got paid in Canada!