So what's going to happen to health care now?

[Rocknurse]

So, for better or worse, we have a new President. What do you think will be the future of health care and the future of nursing as a profession? Will we be better off as nurses or worse? Will we be better off as patients or worse?

Not looking for a political argument....god knows we've had enough of those in the past few days. Emotions are running high and we all have opinions. I'm just curious as to what we can expect.

[terrie831]

I am going to stay optimistic and give our new President Elect the opportunity to make changes before I start saying we are all doomed! If Trump does even half of what he says he wants to do then we will be in a better place than we are today. Ben Carson will be making changes to the Obama Care, hopefully, those changes will be for the better. I believe if he can take the "good" things that are already there and makes some changes to the affordability and other parts that aren't working we may end up with decent insurance coverage for all. Or at least I hope! Having a negative outlook will get you nowhere, or the protesting, so why not give him a chance to prove you right or wrong. Look forward to your future!! It's a blessing.

[Julius Seizure]

From what I understand, Trump has come out saying he plans on keeping the legislation regarding pre-existing conditions. I do not know the details of how he will pull that off though. Not sure he does at this point either.

I hope he means it and figures out a way to do it. I am very afraid of losing my health insurance and not being able to qualify for a new plan.

[Julius Seizure]

Ben Carson will be making changes to the Obama Care, hopefully, those changes will be for the better.

I wish they would add a nurse or two to advise as well! Maybe some other front line workers like RTs, too!

[SororAKS, ADN, RN]

This has already been my reality for the past several years. Cost of living up but no COLA, insurance premiums rising [though admittedly not as much as some people's have]. I recently used this as part of my argument to justify getting a raise as I bring home less money now than I did five years ago thanks to insurance and taxes going up while my wages stayed the same.

This is the reality for many.

I'm watching this quite carefully. Anything is possible.

[heron, ASN, RN]

So, how does one create affordability without adversely affecting profits?

[Nursesarecool1]

Hi i found this interesting article out Of a RNs perspective. Totally relevant. Enjoy

Trump s Healthcare - Jolly Nurse

[JustinMars]

It is hardly affordable. Premiums are doubling and tripling. You don't get to keep your Doctor. It is nothing like what they said it would be. It is a nightmare

[Mommavik, ADN]

As a disabled nurse on SS disability, I found that my costs sound very reasonable until you take into account that by the time I pay my absolutely necessary expenses (rent, car payment, utilities, medications, insurance) I usually have about $100-200 per month for food, gas, simple things like shampoo and toothpaste, etc. Then I add on $30-45 for a"specialist"visit for my diabetes; same for each other doctor that my pcp sends me to for my other medical problems. Granted, I don't usually have more than 1 or 2 per month depending on how problematic my illnesses are but it sometimes comes down to"do I go to my doctor knowing I have to pay that (mostly before being seen) leaving little money for food or do I skip the Dr visit and hope I don't increase my problems from not going" BTW, my monthly income is around $1800/mo. I moved to the cheapest long term hotel I could (since utilities are included) because I could not afford a1 bedroom apartment plus utilities ;my city has poor transit so I can't NOT have a car, I'm grateful to have insurance through medicare since due to over 2 years wait to be approved for SS everything I had in savings, my 401k, other retirement account had to be used for living expenses unless I wanted to be homeless (and still would have been if not for friends and family)

[land27]

My concern is more related to future employment; I am graduating from NP school in December and concerned most employers will slow hiring for the first part of 2017.

[Mfs1]

Not what will occur for sure . What I can tell you Obama care did was create a lot more have not and decreased health care for many in the lower middle class. My parents busted their butts working their whole life they retired with decent insurance just to have it taken away and replaced with a more expensive plan that offers less quality care. I had to pay much for health I durance and what Obama care did for me was make me unable to afford insurance and have to pay for not having it . I am white and my privilege and my families privilege was to work hard to get to lower middle class from poverty to be kicked right back into poverty thanks to Obama and his radical ideas. That man and that house created a lot more have not as was his idea anyway! Perhaps the president elect will move away from creating more poverty level house holds to use as pawns for his political ideations. However, I have no faith in any rich person,any lawyer, any politician. This country is sickening with what the politicians,special interests, globalists, and Big business has done to it! If you want the AMERICAN DREAM THANKS TO THE POLITICIANS AND GREED OF THEM ONE MUST MOVE TO DENMARK!! HOWEVER, I HEAR THAT TOO IS GETTING DESTROYED BY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME RADICAL GLOBALIST IDEAS AS OBAMA. PERSONALLY I AM PISSED I VOTED FOR OBAMA TWICE AND HE BROKE MY FAMILY AND DID SO BECAUSE WE WERE MIDDDLE CLASS .

[TriciaJ, RN]

So what will it take for the USA to have some sort of national health coverage to all citizens just like in canada, United, most western European countries, nordic european countries just as an example? what's keeping the USA from doing it? it would surely be beneficial.

i dont know much about the politics of it all and why the USA, one of the richest countries developed countries in the world, doesn't have it.

Things are done very differently in the countries you mentioned, and those things drive the cost of healthcare. I've sat in many waiting rooms in the US while my partner has had surgeries. The waiting rooms were all new, with nice furniture, fresh paint and carpets, televisions. Who do you think pays for all that?

When I sat with my dad in an ICU in Canada, the waiting room was a dismal, depressing experience. No windows, crap furniture; very uncomfortable. That's because the health care dollars only fund health care, not all the other niceness that Americans take for granted and don't realize they are paying for.

That's only one small example of why health care costs are different in different places. It's really hard to take in the WHOLE PICTURE of why something can happen in one place and not the other.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

I would like to see private, person owned health care plan