New health care bill..

Nurses Activism

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What does the new Health Care bill mean for Nurses?

Job wise? Finical Wise? Etc?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Critical Care, Public Health.
What does the new Health Care bill mean for Nurses?

Job wise? Finical Wise? Etc?

Hi there, my name is favflu, and I am new to this forum.

Nurses should be the driving force behind this health care reform. After all, we spend more time with the clients than any other professional. Until we have a major part in this reform, it will be nothing but headaches, less pay, and more work for the dedicated nurses that are left.

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I think it will hurt nurses.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Critical Care, Public Health.

I feel the same way

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I don't think that the people writing the bills are putting in mind the millions of healthcare professionals that rely on their pay for their home, car, bills, and just to survive. I live alone and I rely on one income. I wouldn't be able to survive if I got a cut in pay. How will I pay for my car loan, student loans, and rent? I honestly believe we would all suffer. I would have to default on my car loan and student loans. Luckily I have all my credit cards paid off. I worked tons of overtime to do that. I went to school to become a nurse because I know that I would be able to support myself. I don't want to return to that mode of struggling just to get by. That's why I went to school to better myself.

I wrote Senator McCain because I live in Arizona, and asked him well what would passing a bill mean for all of us healthcare workers? He hasn't replied. But I don't know if anyone really knows yet. We may just have to wait and see what happens. I'm actually going back to school for my RN to BSN, and have added on to my student loan debt. In the back of my mind I question is it really worth the added debt anymore because of what's going on with healthcare. But then again, I guess we will just have to wait and see. I'm lucky I guess that I don't have a mortgage.

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I don't think anyone can answer that yet. There are about 4 versions of the bill still out there. They've yet to to reconciled. We don't know what the bill is yet.

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

why would this bill decrease nurses salaries?? if that is the case we are in for alot of trouble. if nursing didn't pay what it did no one would be in the hospitals working. i would hate to see it come to that.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

I do not know that answer. I wish I did. However, I've stated this many times before, I am not too altruistic to make sacrifices for my fellow man and agree to salary caps.

In 5 years I will have two college age kids.

THEY are more important to me than my "fellow man."--and I'll do whatever it takes to educate them. Salary caps is not in my future, and I know I can make good $$$ somewhere else.

Sorry, but that is the truth.

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How will this Healthcare Reform Bill affect us? or will it? and when?

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Not sure how it will affect nurses, but it was my understanding that with the expetion of a few items in the bill, it wont become effective untill 4 years from now, and by that time it could have changed a few times with admendments

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Specializes in Developmental and Peds with disabilities.

I've been asking this very question, but I am not so sure that this healthcare reform bill will even go through. However, I am a line therapist for autistic children, and one of my client's mother has brought some very interesting and disturbing things about the healthcare bill to my attention, such as the cutting of funds for programs and medicaid for disabled children and adults. Do you have any idea how much it costs to medically care for an autistic or downs child? This woman actually sat down and read the whole bill. If you have the time, check it out, then tell me its a marvelous idea.

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For nurses working in long term care expect Medicare cuts and more Medcaid patients therefore your pay will go down.

For nurses working in hospitals expect tough times, in my state where this bill is enacted hospitals are in the red. For Students the way you finance student loans has been changed.

For all nurses, expect to pay more taxes, more paper work, and get less health care.

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