will universal healthcare ( in the usa) cut RN pay?

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I been hearing this debate off and on for a long time about how if Obama gets universal healthcare to go ( if he gets elected of course)though in the US that nursing pay will be cut dramatically. I would think this has to do with the fact that we would all be working for the government and that there will no longer be competition. There are many people in my nursing class that said they will leave nursing if thats the case. I also talked to several doctors that said the same thing about medicine in general. Im just curious if anyone has some good info about this. Thanks

Single payer is not socialized medicine. It is socialized finance. See PNHP.org for an extensive discussion about the differences.

Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

i heard that from a few dr's this weekend about that we will get pay cuts if we have universal health care... i'm not sure... one of the docs told me ( now i'm not sure if he's right) that the nurses and docs in the UK don't get paid as well because they have universal health care .. that the it's the competation between the health insurances that keep the wages and prices up and therefore we get good pay.

i'm not sure of all this and i'm not sure how universal health care will work for us... i'm sure we'll get some good insight... i'm interested to hear..

Specializes in MICU, SICU, PACU, Travel nursing.

I think that most countries who have universal healthcare do not really have less pay per say, I think its a bit of a myth to try and scare lay people from supporting it.

Nurses would still make the same amount of $$ probably, but big business would lose out. And big business hates losing out and they put out alot of false information to try and scare the public.

Just my opinion, I know this is a hot topic, so I am fully expecting some die hard anti universal health care poster to flame me here:chuckle

Single payer is not socialized medicine. It is socialized finance. See PNHP.org for an extensive discussion about the differences.

Surely you must know that McCain is not the only one who ever took money, in whatever form, from a lobbyist.

Also, are you aware that there are actually several candidates for Prez, not just BO and JM?

Specializes in ER.

It really is a non-issue. There is no way that any kind of program that involves a Universal payer or Universal HCS will ever get through congress. The amount of $$$ it will cost to put a system like that into play would be staggering.

But I do believe that it would level off the wages. Free market is what drives businesses, including healthcare systems, to be successful.

Don't worry the cut in your pay will be offset by the increase in your taxes. Socialism always brings everyone (except those making the rules) down to the lowest common denominator. So get ready for massive tax increases and very stagnant wages.

Don't worry the cut in your pay will be offset by the increase in your taxes. Socialism always brings everyone (except those making the rules) down to the lowest common denominator. So get ready for massive tax increases and very stagnant wages.

Sigh.

Can you provide a factual basis for your claims?

I agree with icyounurse -- and to add to that...

In the US, the concept of universal healthcare seems very fair. It's fine and dandy to say "I don't want to take a pay cut in exchange for universal healthcare for all US citizens." Then think about the grand scheme of things. In the ED, we see a lot of the problem with NO healthcare, and the non-effectiveness of public aid. People go without, or with minimum, and then when they get really sick, and are on their death bed, we treat them and invest tons of money just to care for them until they die. Who pays the bill?

With universal healthcare, at least everyone will have the same opportunity to maintain their health. I think the best part of the movie "Swing Vote" was one of the lines that essentially said, "If the United States is one of the richest countries in the world, why can't we afford to live here?" And furthermore, why can't our own citizens have healthcare? The young and the old are struggling, all with health problems. Kids are diagnosed with cancer before they are even walking. But the wealthy, who could still maintain their lifestyle on a small pay cut, are concerned that universal healthcare might make a little dent in their annual salary?

Sorry, that's awful selfish. This world has become SO self-centered... everyone out for themselves. "It's all about me." Makes me SICK. The only place that people are guaranteed to be seen and treated, no matter how bad or minor their illness, is the ER. That's really sad.

I agree with icyounurse -- and to add to that...

In the US, the concept of universal healthcare seems very fair. It's fine and dandy to say "I don't want to take a pay cut in exchange for universal healthcare for all US citizens." Then think about the grand scheme of things. In the ED, we see a lot of the problem with NO healthcare, and the non-effectiveness of public aid. People go without, or with minimum, and then when they get really sick, and are on their death bed, we treat them and invest tons of money just to care for them until they die. Who pays the bill?

With universal healthcare, at least everyone will have the same opportunity to maintain their health. I think the best part of the movie "Swing Vote" was one of the lines that essentially said, "If the United States is one of the richest countries in the world, why can't we afford to live here?" And furthermore, why can't our own citizens have healthcare? The young and the old are struggling, all with health problems. Kids are diagnosed with cancer before they are even walking. But the wealthy, who could still maintain their lifestyle on a small pay cut, are concerned that universal healthcare might make a little dent in their annual salary?

Sorry, that's awful selfish. This world has become SO self-centered... everyone out for themselves. "It's all about me." Makes me SICK. The only place that people are guaranteed to be seen and treated, no matter how bad or minor their illness, is the ER. That's really sad.

People go without, or with minimum, and then when they get really sick, and are on their death bed, we treat them and invest tons of money just to care for them until they die. Who pays the bill?

This is what drives me insane about health care in this country. Once people develop chronic health problems from years of a lack of preventative care we spend tons trying to patch them back up!

People go without, or with minimum, and then when they get really sick, and are on their death bed, we treat them and invest tons of money just to care for them until they die. Who pays the bill?

This is what drives me insane about health care in this country. Once people develop chronic health problems from years of a lack of preventative care we spend tons trying to patch them back up!

Yup and then people fight tooth and nail to stop a system of preventative medicine that would be IMMENSELY cheaper than what we have.

Specializes in Adult Critical Care/Neonatal ICU.
Yup and then people fight tooth and nail to stop a system of preventative medicine that would be IMMENSELY cheaper than what we have.

There are people now who have insurance that are non-compliant or don't use their insurance for preventative medicine. Who's to say that universal health care will improve the amount of preventative medicine that is given?

I have seen too many people now that could've, should've, and would've, but didn't.

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