Payson Roundup

Editor:

I am writing as an RN with 27 years experience as a floor nurse at the bedside for intensive care neonatal units, acute physical rehab and pediatrics. I am writing from the perspective of a nurse dealing with emergency admits, tight nursing budgets, short staffing.

I worked in units where hospital administrators and doctors would go for an admission for themselves (acute rehab) instead of a regular med-surgical floor because the care was exceptional and the administrators knew this.

I worked in a hospital where a new CEO held meetings for the community to influence their health care decisions to accept a health plan. Some of these community members ended up with strokes in weeks of signing over their Medicare to a large health care conglomerate, then after the 30 days were up were booted out of rehab denying care to these people when they needed care most.

Health care reform is necessary to ensure care not just for the privileged few. You never know when the shoe will be on the other foot.

My mother has three insurances that after her husband had a stroke and heart attack denied payment for six months before paying their fair share, jeopardizing my mother’s frail health. Our system demands effort from the sick to demand coverage they already have. Please urge for health care reform and let our sick be sick not legal secretaries for the greedy.

Deborah Dugger