Nurses at St Vincent’s in Massachusetts are in their eighth week of a strike against the Tenet-owned hospital, demanding safe staffing and better working conditions. Tenet, which made more than $90 million in profit in the first quarter of this year, is putting a huge amount of money into travelers because they know nurses in their other facilities will do likewise if the St Vincent’s strike succeeds. The St Vincent’s last strike in 2000 resulted in improved pay and conditions.
Thanks to the California Nurses Association and the Massachusetts Nurses Association for donations to the strike fund. Especially appreciated since the nurses are not represented in their negotiations by the MNA.
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.
The St Vincent’s Hospital nursing strike just passed its 100th day. Tenet is beginning to hire permanent replacements because the travelers bill is getting high and the initial 3-month contract periods for them is up, but they have not responded to the last union proposal from the first week in May.
I hope you will join me in sending support to the strike fund c/o the MNA, Massachusetts Nurses Association.
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.
Perhaps. Tell that to your EMS and see what it gets you. Or if your physician group isn’t in another hospital’s coverage. There aren’t that many choices in a lot of areas.
Perhaps. Tell that to your EMS and see what it gets you. Or if your physician group isn’t in another hospital’s coverage. There aren’t that many choices in a lot of areas.
Or you can just drive yourself or family members. I get there aren't a lot of hospitals but it is possible to avoid them. People avoid bad hospitals all the time, especially ones they fear they'll die at for subpar care.
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.
And many, many others cannot afford the enormous bills they’ll get if they go out of network, no matter how they arrive there. If you’re on Medicare or Medicaid that’s no proof against copays either. You can look it up.
I live in a fairly rural-suburban area, 20 minutes from one average small community hospital, 45 minutes from another, and 75 minutes from a third (if traffic isn’t bad in the Summer--hah). The nearest really good hospitals are a good two hours away in the big city. People here have few of the choices you blithely recommend as an easy drive, especially since if they’re out of network they’re on their own without their PCP or $ coverage.
Last time I checked, medicare and medicaid are accepted at just about all hospitals. I live in a country, damn near backwoods area, and there are people who drive longer than that because they don't like or trust the local hospital and the same for others around the state, so it is absolutely possible and it's done more often than you think no matter how "blithely" you think it is. There's more than one network in a multicity/county area. Why are you acting as if in-network is exclusive to one city only?
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.
Did you know that medicare doesn’t cover all costs? For a hospitalization this year’s deductible is something like $1450. Medications aren’t fully covered. There are limits on therapies, skilled nursing at home, and SNF care. It’s illegal for a physician or other entity to accept medicare and then balance-bill the rest, but there are still costs to be borne.
I get the idea that there may —may— be other choices, but you can recognize that in large swaths of the country that is an unavailable luxury.
You're arguing the wrong thing. My point is people can go to another hospital for care and boycott Tenet. You came and made it about Medicare. That's not the argument. Medicare is accepted everywhere. You're arguing something not the subject of what I said.
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.
Not arguing, just introducing a point to consider esp since many hospitalized pts are older people.
I stand by my assertion that it’s not always that easy for someone to just go elsewhere (even if they are older and in medicare, which is acceptable everywhere even though it doesn’t cover everything at all). Their PCP might not be there, they might have always had their care at StV, it might be a tough drive or not OK for night driving, or any number of things.
So people might be able to go to another hospital, but it’s not always a simple decision.
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
There are private hospitals that don't accept Medicare. In urban/suburban areas. those without cars use closest facility, along especially when 911 called. BIG ISSUE at my health system when they changed a anesthesia provider group, only to find they were not in network with health systems current blue cross plan, wanted full pymt; 2 months to get corrected. 5 counties in SE PA, have only ONE insurance carrier for individual self pay coverage, when I looked for plan post COBRA ending last year. Hope the union nurses stay strong and succeed.
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.
As of this weekend the hospital is considering the union’s latest demand and federal mediators are invited in. At four months, the state’s longest nursing strike continues.
Hannahbanana, BSN, MSN
1,265 Posts
The St Vincent’s Hospital nursing strike just passed its 100th day. Tenet is beginning to hire permanent replacements because the travelers bill is getting high and the initial 3-month contract periods for them is up, but they have not responded to the last union proposal from the first week in May.
I hope you will join me in sending support to the strike fund c/o the MNA, Massachusetts Nurses Association.