Nations largest Nursing professional organization says "Pass the Bill"

[cadmium]

December 18, 2009


Senator Harry Reid
Senate Majority Leader
S-221 Capitol Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-7020

Dear Senator Reid:

On behalf of the American Nurses Association (ANA), the only full-service professional
organization representing the interests of the nation’s 2.9 million Registered Nurses
through its 51 constituent member associations, I am writing to urge you to keep the
democratic process moving in the Senate by voting to end debate on H.R. 3590, the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Nurses across this country have waited decades for this historic moment and the time is at
hand. While political maneuvering delays reform, our patient’s needs are not on hold.
The uninsured and underinsured continue to delay or forgo much-needed care; they
continue to arrive in the emergency rooms across the country for conditions that could
have been easily prevented with access to primary care—we are paying a high price for
inaction. Quality health care for all should not be a partisan or political issue.

While we realize that no piece of legislation is perfect, we also realize that doing nothing
is not an option. We know that passage of H.R. 3590 represents our only hope for much-
needed, comprehensive, and meaningful reform of our nation’s healthcare system.
America’s nurses understand the cost of inaction—we cannot afford to wait—it must be
done before the end of the year.

Once again, the need for fundamental reform of the U.S. health care system is critical.
ANA and nurses around the country are ready to work with you. We are almost there.
Please vote YES to end the debate on H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act and move the process forward towards a final vote of passage.

Sincerely,


Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR
President

[Honeycombe8]

1. Because it doesn't have a public option, cost containment provisions, or threaten their compensation

in any way?

Just askin'.

[cadmium]

3. no because it is the bill before us with reforms that can pass. ANA was an

advocate of single payor early in the process. She was In the the early open sessions where supposedly no single payor advocates were allowed. They have been for single payor for a long time but now they see this as the best possible option to provide coverage --or at least a framework in the form of the exchanged that can be regulated and improved. This is what is available at this stage in the process. Their good people

[Honeycombe8]

4. You're wrong. It's because the AMA came on board, after two payoffs.

The Senate agreed to drop two provisions that the AMA didn't like, and voila, the AMA announced it supported the bill. The ANA now follows suit. Nelson came on board after payoffs (the bill doesn't entirely apply to his state; it applies to the OTHER states, and we have to pay for his state's benefits from the bill). Same thing for Florida (that state won't suffer the Medicare cuts...the rest of the states will have to pay for that). And on and on and on.

[cadmium]

5. I disagree. The ANA has been in favor of

each version that has come out of congress and Senate.

[Mojorabbit]

2. As a member of this

organization I am pissed off.

[EFerrari]

8. Hey, Mojo, see my two posts below. n/t

[EFerrari]

6. Nurses Say Senate Bill Entrenches Chokehold of Insurance Giants

Nurses Say Senate Bill Entrenches Chokehold of Insurance Giants
posted by John Nichols on 12/21/2009 @ 7:14pm

...............

Ask a nurse.

"It is tragic to see the promise from Washington this year for genuine, comprehensive reform ground down to a seriously flawed bill that could actually exacerbate the health-care crisis and financial insecurity for American families, and that cedes far too much additional power to the tyranny of a callous insurance industry," says National Nurses Union co-president Karen Higgins, RN.

"Sadly," adds Higgins, "we have ended up with legislation that fails to meet the test of true health-care reform, guaranteeing high quality, cost effective care for all Americans, and instead are further locking into place a system that entrenches the choke-hold of the profit-making insurance giants on our health. If this bill passes, the industry will become more powerful and could be beyond the reach of reform for generations."

The 150,000-member NNU, the largest union and professional organization of registered nurses in the U.S., condemned Reid's bill -- which is expected to gain Senate approval this week -- as a deeply flawed measure that grants too much power to the nation's largest private and for-profit insurers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4194945&mesg_id=4194945

[karynnj]

9. How can a 150,000 member union br the largest union of proffessional nurses

if there is another with 2.9 million.

After 2004, I never trusted Nichols because there were things he simply made up - like suggesting that Edwards might have a better environmental record than Kerry. Kerry had lifetime 96% LCV, Edwards had a much shorter one in the 60s. Kerry was an environmentalist even in 1970 and had many real accomplishments, must notably on acid rain. To me, it was just lazy journalism that he didn't bother to even try to get facts.

[cadmium]

11. worse they are claimin go be the largest

nursing organization bigger than the American Nurses Association.

[cadmium]

12. worse they are claimin go be the largest

nursing organization bigger than the American Nurses Association.

[EFerrari]

7. Nation's Largest Nurses Group: Senate Bill 'Could Actually Exacerbate The Health Care Crisis'

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7299120&mesg_id=7299120

[cadmium]

10. American Nurses Association disagrees

Nursing organizations at war is nothing new. NNU was at war with the SEIU last year

[EFerrari]

13. I don't claim to be an expert on these groups. But, these reports do show

there is no consensus.

[cadmium]

14. Nurses are like Democrats when it comes to consensus n/t