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?
On long island it has been a nightmare. I am currently a nursing student but have worked in a local hospital in billing for the past 6 years. I was laid off, along with about 320 other employees at the end of 2013. I was told flat out that because of the ACA, the hospital is losing reimbursement and struggling financially and has to let go of staff to make up the loss. For those currently receiving care at that hospital, the are being treated by nurses and support staff that is stretched entirely too thin and that are being asked to preform tasks beyond their scope of practice to make up for the lack of employees. More people may be able to afford care, but the quality of care that the receive is not up to par due to under-staffing. It is a safety issue!! Be very careful with private jobs right now. Depending on your area, layoffs may not be uncommon during this time.
I work private duty, so my job has not been affected. I had twins in March, and I was able to put them on an ACA health plan for $60 per month. I already pay $800 per month to cover 2 adults, and adding my kids would have cost $200 more.
My husband is finally eligible to get health insurance through his job. Premiums are increasing 20% next year due to numerous "high cost claims", specifically heart disease and cancer. My daughter has a congenital heart problem, and her care so far this year (2 rounds of surgery, 8 weeks in the hospital) has cost over $500,000. What private insurer wants to cover that? With ACA she will always have access to medical care, despite her preexisting condition.
I would like to express an opinion and this is a personal opinion not a political one. As a home care nurse I am happy for my patients who are able to obtain services and seem to have more choices in finding good community providers. I feeling a little jealous at times that $300 dollars a week is taken from my paycheck to pay for my private plan. I know the employer kicks in quite a bit too, hence the "benefit" of full time employment. What gets me is that the patients I see are getting medication and diagnostic tests that my private plan consistently denies payment for. I am working full time just for the health insurance. I could make just as much money working per diem with much less headaches.
whats more disturbing is my son when to the hosp for RSV and we had to pay out of pocket for since we have insurance..but if i didnt work i would have gotten everything for free. the kid in the next room parents told me they didnt have to pay anything..
the system is screwed up, its set up to punish those who want to go to work and rewarding those who dont work or make enough money and make them dependent on the SYStem..
whats more disturbing is my son when to the hosp for RSV and we had to pay out of pocket for since we have insurance..but if i didnt work i would have gotten everything for free. the kid in the next room parents told me they didnt have to pay anything..
the system is screwed up, its set up to punish those who want to go to work and rewarding those who dont work or make enough money and make them dependent on the SYStem..
Medicaid is for people who cannot afford to pay. The misconception is only people who do not want to work is on Medicaid. WRONG! There are many people who work but are underpaid has Medicaid for their children. I know military men and women who has Medicaid for their kids because tricare does not pay for certain services and their dental plans are not really good, plus some of these military families are making less than 28,000 a year. Please, do not assume that EVERYBODY who is on some form of public assistance do not want to work.
FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I
3,619 Posts
Thank you for your comments. I haven't heard from her since she moved out of this state.