MNA Daily NewsScan, May 8, 2012 – Doc says nurses need more authority; Kudos to AG Lori Swanson; Rally with SEIU

What is this? The MNA Daily NewsScan is a round up the day’s biggest nursing, health care and organized labor stories.  As news unfolds in real-time, we update the NewsScan with new links and info, so check back often!

Stories we’re scanning:

Notes on Nursing

OpEd:  Why Nurses Need More Authority   Allowing nurses to act as primary-care providers will increase coverage and lower health-care costs. So why is there so much opposition from physicians? 

Statement in Support of Attorney General Lori Swanson   “On behalf of our 20,000 nurses, I want to thank Lori Swanson for ignoring political pressure and corporate influence and continuing to stand up for the patients we care for,” Hamilton said. “What Accretive is doing seems to be the epitome of the ‘profits-before-patients’ type of health care delivery that needs to stop, and we’re grateful Attorney General Swanson is having none of it.”

Health Care

Study:  Bigger Hospitals Drive Cost Increases  For everyone out there worried that President Barack Obama’s health reform law  will spur monopolies and make it easier for hospitals to raise their prices, a  new study says it’s already happening, and it’s not because of the health law.

Health Care Increasingly Out of Reach for Millions of Americans    Having trouble finding a doctor?  You’re not alone.Tens of millions of adults under 65 — both those with insurance and those without — saw their access to health care dramatically worsen over the past decade, according to a study released Monday.

House GOP Bill Cuts Medicaid, Social Programs to Protect Military Spending   The Republican-led House this week will lay bare the choice between social programs and Pentagon spending in an age of austerity when it takes up legislation to slice $261 billion from food stamps, Medicaid, social services and other programs for struggling Americans over the next decade to stave off more than $50 billion in military spending cuts scheduled to take effect next year.

Labor Updates

CEOs Earn 343 Times More than Typical Workers   “Despite the collapse of the financial market at the hands of executives less than 3 years ago, the disparity between CEO and workers’ pay has continued to grow to levels that are simply stunning,” said Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO president.

Rally with SEIU  – Tell Fairview that quality care should be at the center of hospitals – not big banks.  Date:  May 10.  Time:  3:30 p.m.

HAPPY NURSES WEEK!