Nurses, are you glad that Obamas Healthcare Bill Passed?

[Brian]

Please take a second to vote on the poll, then leave your comments. It will be interesting to see what the allnurses.com membership thinks.

Please do not turn this thread into a Political discussion, argument or debate. It is just intended to poll our nursing audience on the question.

Feel free to leave civil comments and your opinion whether you agree or disagree, but please no arguing and fueding :)

If you want to discuss politics, please visit our US Politics forum over at allnurses Central where members can discuss non-nursing discussions

Disclaimer: This is by no means a scientific poll Just for entertainment purpose.

Thanks and have a great day!

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

I just wish our new healthcare system could have been patterned after Canada's. My daughter married a Canadian, lived in Canada for a time, and my grandson was born in St Catherines, Ont. The nurse visited my daughter at home a couple days after she was discharged from the hospital to check on her and my grandson. I don't think that is going to happen in the US.

[TONY1ACLS]

Once again we will have progressed beyond efficiency to the point where we move backwards. It already takes three times the amount of paperwork to support the same amount time actually doing something. Just see how efficient we get when everything has to be preauthorized. I worked overseas for the gov. We had a saying (we worked so long doing so much with so little, We can do anything with nothing). I think that although it worked overseas repairing combat gear, I would like a little anesthesia if I needed an operation in this country.

[mari55]

Just see how efficient we get when everything has to be preauthorized.

You mean you don't have to preauthorize everything now.

[persephone714]

No because I see our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren paying for it, plus it has already hurt senior citizens. They don't get a pay raise for at least three years, and some of the services are going to be eliminated.

I also am against killing little babies (late term abortion.) President Obama said he owned the national healthcare bill right from the beginning. Well, the dems made sure it was going to pass by having closed door meetings so we couldn't learn what deals they were making.

I disrespect many on capital hill for taking away from the seniors who worked hard all their lives to be able to live on a Social Security check. That check is the only source of income for a lot of us, including me, and I live below the poverty line already.

Where are you getting your information, the tea party express?? This is the typical "old people/baby-killer" response.

[chiromed0]

I voted no b/c this is a blind bill. Meaning if your representatives, your legislators don't even care to read or know what is in the fine print of the bill how in good conscience can you support it? The view that 'something is better than nothing' is a dangerous position to take. You cannot expand existing services to millions more people w/o expanding the infrastructure first. The headlines & industry rags all state shortages in nurses, doctors, facilities & beds. This all adds up to care rationing. We prioritize care now, however, this takes the responsibility of prioritizing from your hands or the physicians' into some desktop decision maker somewhere else.

IMHO this bill has nothing to do with health 'care'; it's health insurance. It also has precious little to do with reforms in health insurance. What it does is shift governing of the health insurance industry and providers (if they want to get paid) to the executive branch from the legislative branch's oversight. This takes power away from the people through your representatives who are directly accountable to you in your own districts. The executive branch answers to the President, not to the people. This is not checks & balances. The reason may be in that it's a heck of a lot easier to win 1 Presidency through empty promises than hundreds of congressional & senate seats.

There are some admirable philosophical attributes to the idea of socialized medicine but the practical reality is abysmal. When you indoctrinate an entire society into a dependent relationship you remove the impetus of personal responsibility. This scenario has never been conducive to improved sociological, psychological or physical health. Health care and insurance reform is possible and needed, however, neither this President or congress is fit to make such decisions given their ambitious socio-political agenda. This is big 'cluster' and will all need to be repealed and start over.

[mari55]

I voted no b/c this is a blind bill. Meaning if your representatives, your legislators don't even care to read or know what is in the fine print of the bill how in good conscience can you support it? The view that 'something is better than nothing' is a dangerous position to take. You cannot expand existing services to millions more people w/o expanding the infrastructure first. The headlines & industry rags all state shortages in nurses, doctors, facilities & beds. This all adds up to care rationing. We prioritize care now, however, this takes the responsibility of prioritizing from your hands or the physicians' into some desktop decision maker somewhere else.

Your response was so full of inaccurate statements, my time only permits me to address the first paragraph. How do you know what all 50 senators and over a hundred congressmen read? The view that something is better than nothing is that the vast majority of our laws are based upon compromise between conflicting views. In my state, there is only a shortage of nursing jobs, not nurses. Did you know this bill addresses the infrastructure by adding to scholarship funds for RN training. I guess you did not read that part.

[zbb13]

I just wish our new healthcare system could have been patterned after Canada's. My daughter married a Canadian, lived in Canada for a time, and my grandson was born in St Catherines, Ont. The nurse visited my daughter at home a couple days after she was discharged from the hospital to check on her and my grandson. I don't think that is going to happen in the US.

Granted, there are problems with our system, but Obamacare is not going to fix them, only exacerbate them. I lived in Canada. My newborn was sent home with a very high bilirubin. They were short-staffed, and I was advised to "put her in the sun, she's a little yellow"--this was December 25, mind you. Needless to say, she was back in the ER and then ICU and we almost lost her.

Dad had to wait 12 months for a hip replacement. He is relatively young, and it was agony for him. My Mom had a brain tumor, and she was sent home from the ER after they diagnosed it. No meds, nothing. Told her to see her family doctor the next week. Dad needed by-pass--went to the US to do it. His friend died while waiting for a by-pass.

I am not saying that all of Canada's system is bad--it is great not to have to pay insurance or doc bills....but find a specialist....and if you are older forget it. So many doctors have fled the country. Rationing is around, and it effects the elderly the most. My grandmother needed a new pacemaker (hers was failing), and they wouldn't replace it because she was not top priority, and she was old.

People do not rush to Canada to receive the best and most innovative treatment. They come to the U.S. Look at the Cleveland Clinic--people from all over the world coming here for care.

We need to change the system, but we don't need a wholesale takeover of the system. Tort reform-won't get it-tort lawyers love the Democrats and give them lots of $s. Have competition across States--won't see it. Obama, when he was in the Senate, voted that we could get medications from Canada because it was cheaper. Not now--medications from Canada are suddenly suspect--maybe they won't meet our standards. If anyone thinks things are going to improve over here, I really think the they have major blinkers on.

[mari55]

Granted, there are problems with our system, but Obamacare is not going to fix them.

How do you know what the new healthcare law is going to address? Your comment appears to be merely your opinion, based upon your experience in Canada. For example, did you know that this law does include a pilot project on tort reform. By the way, will you please stop referring to the new law as Obamacare. Your use of this label suggests that you have no respect for the numerous other Demoscratic and Repubican ( Did you know that Richard Nixon and Teddy Roosevelt each had their versions of health care reform?) lawmakers who shaped this bill or for President Obama, himself.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Obamacare is what just about everyone, even the NYT and WaPo, use.

I think that horse is out of the barn.

steph

[zbb13]

I have no respect for Obama as President. He constantly bashes the U.S. in his speeches. I love America--greatest nation on the Earth--with all of its problems. This bill was written behind closed doors and was forced on us. Find me one true Republican who's view was taken into account.

[mari55]

Obamacare is what just about everyone, even the NYT and WaPo, use.

I think that horse is out of the barn.

steph

Certainly your horse. Do you know that healthcare was once named after Hillary Clinton, and called Hillarycare.

[husker_rn, RN]

I voted yes. Yes it will cost, but because I have health insurance it already costs me. I { my insurance carrier } am charged more because I AM covered. Easy to look the other way unless you are one who cannot afford coverage and make too much for Medicaid. If we don't do something this healthcare burden will break our backs but I admit I am worried about how the costs will be spread out.