Broken lives is another testimony to the fact that we need healthcare reform now. Please support single payer healthcare. We need toput compassion and empathy back into health care and put the honor and integrity back in our profession that we have lost due to the lust for profit that now controls our healthcare system.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Obama supports the Employee Free Choice Act
Vote Obama for President and support the employee free choice act.
Myths in Healthcare
Myth 1: The US Healthcare System Is the Best in the World
This idea has been called the alpha myth because it is fundamentally the root of all other myths.[1] It is the straightforward belief that Americans have access to the highest quality healthcare available in the world. A different way to present this myth is to state that citizens in other countries experience long waits for healthcare, that they must rely on generalists, and that they suffer worse outcomes as a result.
This belief is widespread and well-entrenched in the American mindset. So it is perhaps surprising that in a 10-nation 1990 survey on the level of satisfaction with the national healthcare system, the United States ranked 10th.[2] These results were then reproduced a decade later.[3] Although Americans believe the US system is the best, clearly they are not as satisfied with the healthcare they receive as are citizens of other countries.
For the full article visit the links below. There are also links to other sections of the article that are interestingand informative. You will be required to register at the site to view the entire story, it is free on the medscape site.
Abstract and Introduction
Myth 1: The US Healthcare System Is the Best in the World
Myth 2: There Will Always Be a Certain Segment of the Population That Remains Uninsured
Myth 3: The Uninsured Have Equal Access to Medical Care Through the Emergency Room
Myth 4: A Free Market Is the Best Way to Get the Highest Quality Health Insurance for the Lowest Cost
Myth 5: We Just Cannot Afford to Cover Everyone
Conclusion
This idea has been called the alpha myth because it is fundamentally the root of all other myths.[1] It is the straightforward belief that Americans have access to the highest quality healthcare available in the world. A different way to present this myth is to state that citizens in other countries experience long waits for healthcare, that they must rely on generalists, and that they suffer worse outcomes as a result.
This belief is widespread and well-entrenched in the American mindset. So it is perhaps surprising that in a 10-nation 1990 survey on the level of satisfaction with the national healthcare system, the United States ranked 10th.[2] These results were then reproduced a decade later.[3] Although Americans believe the US system is the best, clearly they are not as satisfied with the healthcare they receive as are citizens of other countries.
For the full article visit the links below. There are also links to other sections of the article that are interestingand informative. You will be required to register at the site to view the entire story, it is free on the medscape site.
Abstract and Introduction
Myth 1: The US Healthcare System Is the Best in the World
Myth 2: There Will Always Be a Certain Segment of the Population That Remains Uninsured
Myth 3: The Uninsured Have Equal Access to Medical Care Through the Emergency Room
Myth 4: A Free Market Is the Best Way to Get the Highest Quality Health Insurance for the Lowest Cost
Myth 5: We Just Cannot Afford to Cover Everyone
Conclusion
Support the Employee Free Choice Act
The paragraph below is copied from the California Nurses Association campaign for the employee free choice act. I believe and support this campiagn and ask that all who visit this blog will review the issue and support bringing fairness and choice to the American worker. At the site linked below you will find testimonials of real nurses struggle to unionize and advocate for their patients and profession.
EFCA - Employee Free Choice Act
60 million American workers have expressed interest in belonging to a union. 79 percent of them agree they are likely to be fired for trying to form one. It’s time put the era of union-busting behind us.
Union membership has been declining over the past several decades.Employers are waging increasingly vicious campaigns against workers and union officials who attempt to organize for better working conditions. The lag between gathering enough cards to file for an election and the election itself creates weeks in which professional "union busters" can infiltrate a workplace, intimidating, misleading, and harassing workers into voting against unionization. If you think your employer wouldn’t do that to you, think again: 92 percent of employers force employees to attend compulsory anti-union meetings.
It’s time for a change.New legislation can end union-busting. The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) would make it possible to elect a union by collecting signed union cards from the majority of workers on a job. EFCA will provide a democratic process to workers seeking union representation, without giving management the lead time necessary to coordinate an attack on workers’ rights to freely associate and organize.
TAKE ACTION TODAY:
Sign the Online Card to Support Employee Free Choice here!
Download the complete EFCA brochure in PDF
EFCA - Employee Free Choice Act
60 million American workers have expressed interest in belonging to a union. 79 percent of them agree they are likely to be fired for trying to form one. It’s time put the era of union-busting behind us.
Union membership has been declining over the past several decades.Employers are waging increasingly vicious campaigns against workers and union officials who attempt to organize for better working conditions. The lag between gathering enough cards to file for an election and the election itself creates weeks in which professional "union busters" can infiltrate a workplace, intimidating, misleading, and harassing workers into voting against unionization. If you think your employer wouldn’t do that to you, think again: 92 percent of employers force employees to attend compulsory anti-union meetings.
It’s time for a change.New legislation can end union-busting. The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) would make it possible to elect a union by collecting signed union cards from the majority of workers on a job. EFCA will provide a democratic process to workers seeking union representation, without giving management the lead time necessary to coordinate an attack on workers’ rights to freely associate and organize.
TAKE ACTION TODAY:
Sign the Online Card to Support Employee Free Choice here!
Download the complete EFCA brochure in PDF
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Your RX for health care reform
I was recently sent this email from Healthcare united asking for my perscription for changing our health care system. I sent in my opinion, at least the short version anyway and would like to ask you to do the same.
These emails are to be delivered to our senators and congressman at the Democratic convention. I see it as another opportunity to get your voice heard.
In full disclosure united healthcare is a campaign run by the SEIU. I do not support all their efforts but we can and should work with each other on those campiagns that we do agree and we agree that health care is in need of real reform.
The link below will take you to the form for you to submit your ideas. http://www.healthcareunited.org/RxforChange
These emails are to be delivered to our senators and congressman at the Democratic convention. I see it as another opportunity to get your voice heard.
In full disclosure united healthcare is a campaign run by the SEIU. I do not support all their efforts but we can and should work with each other on those campiagns that we do agree and we agree that health care is in need of real reform.
The link below will take you to the form for you to submit your ideas. http://www.healthcareunited.org/RxforChange
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Single Payer Now
Fast Facts about Single Payer
by Suzanne Cowan — last modified 2008-06-17 10:24 PM
The June 19 rally is in support of Single Payer health insurance, as opposed to a system run for profit by private insurance companies. But what is Single Payer?
Did you know?
The US spends more that twice as much per person for healthcare as any other nation, yet
One sixth of Americans have no health insurance.
One half of all bankruptcies are caused by healthcare bills.
Three quarters of those people had health insurance.
Despite this spending, the World Health Organization ranks the US 37th in overall health, the worst among industrial countries.
The US is the only industrial country that does not have a plan that provides health care for everybody.
In the US, there are currently more than 1200 separate for-profit insurance plans. The result is that, instead of paying for health care, about 30 cents of every health care dollar pay for:
Administrative costs such as billing
Marketing and advertising
Lobbying
Risk evaluation (allows insurance companies to provide insurance to the healthy and refuse coverage to those with "pre-existing conditions")
Denial management (the search for excuses to delay, deny or renege on payment for health care)
The June 19th rally supports California Senate Bill 840 (SB 840) and federal House Resolution 676 (HR 676). Both bills would establish a single-payer system of universal health care that eliminates insurance companies as middlemen.
Under a single-payer system in California or nationally, we would spend less on healthcare than we do now, and with far better results. Specifically, a single-payer system would:
Eliminate all current premiums, deductibles and co-payments. Instead, employers, employees and individuals would pay an annual tax that would be combined in one fund with monies from existing government programs. This fund would be the sole payer of all medical claims.
Immediately save billions of dollars by eliminating the excessive costs that insurance companies now spend for administration, lobbying, marketing, risk management, denial management, CEO salaries and profits.
Use the bulk purchasing power to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals and durable medical equipment.
Increase efficiency and stabilize the growth in health care spending by linking spending increases to state/national GDP and relevant demographic indicators.
Allow the vast majority of people to pay less than they do now for medical care, while receiving far more comprehensive coverage.
Both SB 840 and HR 676 specifically permit free choice of health care providers, both public and private. Current for-profit insurance plans restrict choice to "in-plan" providers,
Many federal and state studies since l990 have concluded that a single-payer system is the only model that is truly efficient, equitable and sustainable. It spreads risk, pools funds, and provides all residents access to medical care.
Support single payer bill HR 676 by writing your representative and letting them know that you want justice in health care and a single payer system. You will find links at the bottom of this blog to find your Representatives e-mail and physical address. To get more information on the model for this bill visit http://singlepayernow.net/.
National Single Payer Bill
HR 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act, was introduced by Representative John Conyers, Jr. The bill has 90 cosponsors. HR 676 closely mirrors California’s SB 840.
by Suzanne Cowan — last modified 2008-06-17 10:24 PM
The June 19 rally is in support of Single Payer health insurance, as opposed to a system run for profit by private insurance companies. But what is Single Payer?
Did you know?
The US spends more that twice as much per person for healthcare as any other nation, yet
One sixth of Americans have no health insurance.
One half of all bankruptcies are caused by healthcare bills.
Three quarters of those people had health insurance.
Despite this spending, the World Health Organization ranks the US 37th in overall health, the worst among industrial countries.
The US is the only industrial country that does not have a plan that provides health care for everybody.
In the US, there are currently more than 1200 separate for-profit insurance plans. The result is that, instead of paying for health care, about 30 cents of every health care dollar pay for:
Administrative costs such as billing
Marketing and advertising
Lobbying
Risk evaluation (allows insurance companies to provide insurance to the healthy and refuse coverage to those with "pre-existing conditions")
Denial management (the search for excuses to delay, deny or renege on payment for health care)
The June 19th rally supports California Senate Bill 840 (SB 840) and federal House Resolution 676 (HR 676). Both bills would establish a single-payer system of universal health care that eliminates insurance companies as middlemen.
Under a single-payer system in California or nationally, we would spend less on healthcare than we do now, and with far better results. Specifically, a single-payer system would:
Eliminate all current premiums, deductibles and co-payments. Instead, employers, employees and individuals would pay an annual tax that would be combined in one fund with monies from existing government programs. This fund would be the sole payer of all medical claims.
Immediately save billions of dollars by eliminating the excessive costs that insurance companies now spend for administration, lobbying, marketing, risk management, denial management, CEO salaries and profits.
Use the bulk purchasing power to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals and durable medical equipment.
Increase efficiency and stabilize the growth in health care spending by linking spending increases to state/national GDP and relevant demographic indicators.
Allow the vast majority of people to pay less than they do now for medical care, while receiving far more comprehensive coverage.
Both SB 840 and HR 676 specifically permit free choice of health care providers, both public and private. Current for-profit insurance plans restrict choice to "in-plan" providers,
Many federal and state studies since l990 have concluded that a single-payer system is the only model that is truly efficient, equitable and sustainable. It spreads risk, pools funds, and provides all residents access to medical care.
Support single payer bill HR 676 by writing your representative and letting them know that you want justice in health care and a single payer system. You will find links at the bottom of this blog to find your Representatives e-mail and physical address. To get more information on the model for this bill visit http://singlepayernow.net/.
National Single Payer Bill
HR 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act, was introduced by Representative John Conyers, Jr. The bill has 90 cosponsors. HR 676 closely mirrors California’s SB 840.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
THIS FRIDAY re California's proposed SB840-SHOW UP!
In case you don't already know, in Oakland, California - this coming Friday evening, a couple of the co-authors of California's universal healthcare bill SB840 will be having a townhall. Included on the bill is Senator Sheila Kuehl's Healthcare Consultant (who I think did most of the detail on writing the bill), Sarah Rogers and likely more key people.
THIS NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION - it is CRITICAL that people show up and let the powers that be right now know that it is NOT ok to sweep this under the rug yet again and that we are not going to settle for another lame a excuse of a healthcare proposal (regardless of whether it comes from the Obama camp or the governator).
7pm
Humanist Hall
27th near Broadway
Oakland, California
For details: visit Singlepayernow.net
Here are highlights from the last hearing on the bill: YouTube - California Considers Healthcare for ALL-The $ issue
Americans Mad and Angry
I recently read a post on allnurses that led me to a site called Americans mad and angry. The site is a non profit that reports on medical errors and the real life stories of the patients affected by them. The organization does not present an opinion as to how nurse ratios or unions play into the rate of medical errors but wanted to take the opportunity to give my two cents on the subject.
I have posted many videos and written post on the issue of patient safety and medical errors as they relate to understaffing. I have also posted or previously discussed how studies have shown that unionized hospitals have been shown to have better outcomes than their non union counter parts.
I would ask that you reflect on the errors that you are aware of and ask yourself if better ratios, better staff development and true whistleblower protections for safety issues may have helped prevent them. Also review the site that I will link below and ask your self if these were preventable and would better trained and prepared staff have done a better job. http://www.americansmadandangry.org
I am not suggesting that personal responsibility be removed but that the hospitals have a responsibility to ensure that their staff is educated and adequate in number to provide safe care. Rushing is often the reason that errors occur and that rushing is often caused by understaffing. They as the employer are responsible for staffing and they need to be mandated to set ratios as they have proven to be not up to the task.
Support mandatory staffing ratios and the unions to allow nurses to voice their concerns as they relate to safety. Support unions, support ratios, support whistleblower protection and reject the notion that your administration is doing all they can do. They have let us all down for to long and they need to be held accountable to someone.
Also review the links on the right of this blog to worthy petitions to support the issues discussed above.
I have posted many videos and written post on the issue of patient safety and medical errors as they relate to understaffing. I have also posted or previously discussed how studies have shown that unionized hospitals have been shown to have better outcomes than their non union counter parts.
I would ask that you reflect on the errors that you are aware of and ask yourself if better ratios, better staff development and true whistleblower protections for safety issues may have helped prevent them. Also review the site that I will link below and ask your self if these were preventable and would better trained and prepared staff have done a better job. http://www.americansmadandangry.org
I am not suggesting that personal responsibility be removed but that the hospitals have a responsibility to ensure that their staff is educated and adequate in number to provide safe care. Rushing is often the reason that errors occur and that rushing is often caused by understaffing. They as the employer are responsible for staffing and they need to be mandated to set ratios as they have proven to be not up to the task.
Support mandatory staffing ratios and the unions to allow nurses to voice their concerns as they relate to safety. Support unions, support ratios, support whistleblower protection and reject the notion that your administration is doing all they can do. They have let us all down for to long and they need to be held accountable to someone.
Also review the links on the right of this blog to worthy petitions to support the issues discussed above.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Money-money-money; we need more money!
I hope everyone has read the story out of LA detailing the lengths that hospital CEO's will go to turn a profit. This story details the lack of integrity and compassion that our hospital leadership shows the public and the patients they are trusted to provide care for. I know that some will say well that's only one example but I will tell you to review your history. Take for another example the Columbia/HCA medicare fraud case that resulted in millions of dollars of fines levied against HCA. I would contend that these are only the ones we are aware of and suggest that these examples supports the need to remove profit from health care so that our fine leaders are kept honest. Join me in supporting a universal single payer health care plan. You can find links to several great plans on this site to support.
Please review the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/us/10homeless.html?ref=us for more details. Oh, by the way all these hospitals are managed and owned by private for profit groups.
Please review the article at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/us/10homeless.html?ref=us for more details. Oh, by the way all these hospitals are managed and owned by private for profit groups.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Critical Condition
Visit the link below to preview the upcomming film by Roger Weisberg titled Critical Condition.
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2008/criticalcondition/preview.html The film will be debuted on PBS on Septemebr 30th at 9pm. I hope all persons interested in equality and fairness in health care will watch this video and post their comments on this site. Thanks Nurse Advocate.
Critical Condition
by Roger Weisberg Broadcast Date: September 30, 2008, Special Broadcast at 9 PM (90 minutes) Check local listings
What happens if you fall sick and are one of 47 million people in America without health insurance? "Critical Condition" by Roger Weisberg ("Waging a Living," P.O.V. 2006) puts a human face on the nation's growing health care crisis by capturing the harrowing struggles of four critically ill Americans who discover that being uninsured can cost them their jobs, health, home, savings, even their lives. Filmed in vérité style, "Critical Condition" offers a moving and invaluable expose at a time when the nation is debating how to extend health insurance to all Americans. A production of Public Policy Productions in association with Thirteen/WNET New York and American Documentary P.O.V.
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2008/criticalcondition/preview.html The film will be debuted on PBS on Septemebr 30th at 9pm. I hope all persons interested in equality and fairness in health care will watch this video and post their comments on this site. Thanks Nurse Advocate.
Critical Condition
by Roger Weisberg Broadcast Date: September 30, 2008, Special Broadcast at 9 PM (90 minutes) Check local listings
What happens if you fall sick and are one of 47 million people in America without health insurance? "Critical Condition" by Roger Weisberg ("Waging a Living," P.O.V. 2006) puts a human face on the nation's growing health care crisis by capturing the harrowing struggles of four critically ill Americans who discover that being uninsured can cost them their jobs, health, home, savings, even their lives. Filmed in vérité style, "Critical Condition" offers a moving and invaluable expose at a time when the nation is debating how to extend health insurance to all Americans. A production of Public Policy Productions in association with Thirteen/WNET New York and American Documentary P.O.V.
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