How has Obamacare affected you and your employer?

[ProgressiveThinking, MSN, CRNA]

I'm scheduled to start in a private ED hospital next month. I started at a VA on a PCU unit as a new grad, but I feel like I'm depriving myself of the experience I desire.

As I consider transitioning from a highly political, but stable federal hospital (VA) to a private hospital in order to gain the ED experience that I desire (a broader pt population-not just older vets in for pain med refills and jock itch), I ask myself how the ACA has affected your employer (hospital, school, prison, etc.). Have budgets been cut? Have layoffs taken place (specifically nurses being laid off)? Are you called off less or more? Have PRN positions been eliminated or increased? Is agency/travel used more? Have your benefits been affected? Have your employers anticipated any forthcoming changes?

Please share!

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

No, no, no & no (we're hiring), no, we're expanding. I guess this is all d/t the ACA?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

There isn't canceling that is done in the ED routinely.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Our family plan is through my husband. Costs and deductibles have been rising ever since I began using my own insurance (i.e. off my parents' plan) at age 21. I have an individual plan for myself through my work because a single plan costs $0 to the employee where I work...government-type benefit maybe? I work for a county hospital.

I got cancelled a lot over the summer because our census was really low. Every month I floated 2-3 times, was cancelled 2-3 times, and was put on call once or twice. Now our census has been at or near capacity, and every. single. day I get multiple calls from our automated alert system "SICU is in need...." Actually Sunday and Monday, I got 3 of those calls and I was already on the schedule. I've been there a year and a half, not really long enough to see hiring trends. But my NM has hired a couple of RNs every four months or so since I've been there. 0.5 and above is benefit eligible; this has not changed. We don't have a lot of PRN positions on my unit; most of those who are choose to be because they have another job elsewhere. Most of those of us who are regular part-time choose to be because either we have young kids and want to work PT (that would be me), are single and don't have enough expenses to need a FT job, or have a PRN job elsewhere. Nobody has been forced to reduce their hours or go PRN, at least not on my unit.

[toomuchbaloney]

PRN and part time is more acceptable to many people because they can now afford to buy their own health insurance outside of the employer, because of the ACA.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

It hasn't changed anything. Massachusetts has had the same health care law since 2006.

[ProgressiveThinking, MSN, CRNA]

Thanks for the answers everyone! Hope to hear more! I guess the biggest thing that concerns me with leaving the fed is getting laid off! It seems that nurses getting laid off is somewhat of a rarity (at least compared to other professions)...

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

My caregivers hours have all been cut to 28 hours a week.

[monkeyhq]

The ACA has been a dream in my state. More nursing opportunities, more people seeking medical care when they need it (instead of when an emergency takes place), more compliance with medications (no pill splitting and/or sharing with others because of the expense). More truly ill young adults are receiving nursing waiver services, people who previously were disqualified due to pre-existing now have the care they need, those who require surgeries not previously covered now have coverage. No man, woman, or child will go without chemo because of a lack of coverage. The ACA has been a God-send for the healthcare profession, and has made an enormous impact on wellness.

Health is a human right, and everyone on this planet should be entitled to receive affordable (or free) healthcare, not just those who can afford it.

[BlueDevil, DNP]

Pt visits are up, RVUs are up, my bonus is up. My patients are pleased to be getting care for long overlooked health needs. We are all good here.

[NanaPrimo]

Unfortunately in my area, lay-offs do happen, and older experienced nurses are considered too expensive, so they tend not to be hired. The hospitals would like the state to expand Medicaid, so they get a little money at least for inpatient stays on otherwise uninsured patients. There is a lot of anti-government sentiment in my area, marketplace plans are limited, and many people will self-pay before applying for those market plans in the first place. Or the people don't qualify because they are unemployed with NO income at all. So our patient visits for primary care are NOT up, ERs are full, and the hospitals are losing money. Sad situation.

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

Unfortunately in my area, lay-offs do happen, and older experienced nurses are considered too expensive, so they tend not to be hired. The hospitals would like the state to expand Medicaid, so they get a little money at least for inpatient stays on otherwise uninsured patients. There is a lot of anti-government sentiment in my area, marketplace plans are limited, and many people will self-pay before applying for those market plans in the first place. Or the people don't qualify because they are unemployed with NO income at all. So our patient visits for primary care are NOT up, ERs are full, and the hospitals are losing money. Sad situation.

Yes it is. My state has been downgraded from an A- to a B+ and is now number 47 from 4 in the poll conducted in 2013. The smaller hospitals are being taken over by the larger corporate hospitals also. Fortunately, we do have a wonderful independent healthcare system where I live though.