MNA Blog (Page 52)

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

On:
In: Home, Insurance, Press Releases

An Insurance Industry Bailout Won’t Give Minnesotans Affordable Healthcare

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2249
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – March 30, 2017 – Registered Nurses of the Minnesota Nurses Association are calling on Governor Mark Dayton to veto a state reinsurance bill when it reaches his desk.  Despite last-minute lobbying by nurses at the Capitol on Thursday, reinsurance bill passed both the House and Senate by a slim majority.

“This bill, while giving insurance companies a massive taxpayer-funded windfall, does not solve the problems facing Minnesotans who need affordable healthcare in the individual insurance market, including better access to coverage, lower insurance costs, and more adequate provider networks,” said Mary Turner, MNA president.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses Urge Governor to Veto Reinsurance Bill  »

On:
In: Fairview, HealthEast, Home, Hospitals, Nurses

By Mathew Keller RN JD

Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

This past January, Pocono Medical Center (“PMC”) in Pennsylvania announced plans of a merger with Lehigh Valley Health Network. As details became more apparent, it was obvious that staffing changes and layoffs connected to the merger would affect more than 100 PMC nurses.

It’s no surprise that the word “merger” has come to be associated with “restructuring,” and “restructuring” with “layoffs.” And if a merger between a single medical center and a larger health system can affect 100 nurses, how much larger of an impact could a merger of two giant systems, such as HealthEast and Fairview, have?
… Read more about: Will HealthEast-Fairview Merger Hurt Nurses?  »

On:
In: Activism, Home, Politics

By Geri Katz

MNA Healthcare Reform Specialist

Among the group for today’s North Memorial Day on the Hill were two first-time attendees. Erica and Ayan had never been to the Capitol before, which allowed me to do my favorite part of my job: introduce nurses to their elected officials and start them on their journey as citizen lobbyists.

At this point in the legislative session, everything is moving quickly. Legislators are rushing to meet deadlines, and it can be hard to catch them. We were lucky to find both Erica and Ayan’s state representatives today (in addition to several others) and share with them what it’s like to be a bedside nurse at a Level I Trauma Center.
… Read more about: Nurses Visit the Capitol for the First Time  »

On:
In: Affordable Care Act, Home, Press Releases

For more information, contact:

Charles Idelson – (510) 273-2246

March 16, 2017

National Nurses United today sharply criticized President Trump’s proposed federal budget as a broad attack on public protections that also targets some of the nation’s most vulnerable people while shifting resources to the least needed areas.

“Slashing programs like Meals on Wheels, which brings food to some of our nation’s most vulnerable people, and heating assistance for low income people reflect a cruel and mean spirited thematic in Washington, evident also in the proposed health plan that cuts coverage for 24 million while giving a massive tax break to the rich,” said NNU Co-President Jean Ross.
… Read more about: National Nurses United Press Release: Proposed Budget Latest Attack on the Public Protections and the Most Vulnerable People  »

On:
In: Elections, Home, Politics, Press Releases

Contact: Barb Brady
(office) 651-414-2849
(cell) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org 

Rick Fuentes
(office) 651-414-2863
(cell) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – March 16, 2017 –  Minnesota Nurses Association nurses voted to endorse candidates for St. Paul mayor, Minneapolis mayor, and the Minneapolis City Council.

Nurses endorsed St. Paul City Council member Dai Thao for mayor.

“We are proud to support Dai Thao for mayor of St. Paul,” said MNA President Mary Turner. “He shares nurses’ progressive values and has committed to actively supporting nurses on our top issues including safe staffing in hospitals, single-payer healthcare, collective bargaining rights for all workers, and Earned Sick and Safe Time.”

Nurses voted to endorse State Representative Raymond Dehn for Minneapolis mayor.
… Read more about: Minnesota Nurses Association Endorses St. Paul, Minneapolis Candidates  »

On:
In: Healthcare, Home, Insurance, Mayo

 

By Mathew Keller, RN JD
Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

A recent statement by the Mayo Clinic’s CEO John Noseworthy, as reported in the Star Tribune, speaks volumes as to the true status of healthcare in America: those with the money get the care they need, those without, get something else. As Noseworthy put it, “if [a] patient has commercial insurance, or they’re Medicaid or Medicare patients and they’re equal…we prioritize the commercial insured patients enough so … we can be financially strong at the end of the year.”

A Mayo spokesman went on to say, “We can provide the care they require for complex medical issues.
… Read more about: Mayo Clinic’s Sad Statement on Healthcare in America  »

On:
In: Action, Elections, Home, Politics

By Eileen Gavin

MNA Political Organizer

There are some major races for political office this year in St. Paul and Minneapolis. St. Paul will be electing a new Mayor as Chris Coleman has thrown his name in the ring in the race for Minnesota’s next Governor. Also, Minneapolis residents will be voting for their Mayor and City Council. MNA has a long history of involvement in races at the state level, including state legislative races both in the House and Senate, Governor, and Attorney General. MNA has not been very involved in electoral work at the city level—until now. The MNA Board of Directors has made a strategic decision to participate in local elections, a decision welcomed and applauded by almost all of the candidates we interviewed last week.
… Read more about: MNA Enters the Local Political Scene  »

On:
In: Activism, Credit Unions, Home, Labor Unions

By Cameron Fure

MNA Political Organizer

 

Since the election this last fall, many have been searching for ways to get involved in their local communities and play a bigger role in influencing change in our country. Some decisions may be made behind closed doors in the corridors of power of Saint Paul and Washington, DC, but we can fight back—with our pocketbooks. Where we spend our dollars matters, and companies notice when we patronize businesses we like and boycott those that exhibit questionable or unacceptable behavior.

Large financial institutions have reaped the benefits of doing business in our country by charging exorbitant overdraft fees and infinitely increasing fees when using out-of-network ATMs.
… Read more about: Fight Back with Your Friendly, Neighborhood Credit Union  »

On:
In: Home, Sanford, Unsafe Staffing

By Mathew Keller, RN JD
Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

Limousine service, upgraded television sets, nurse-to-patient “scripts,” gourmet food service, nurse uniform requirements. Hospitals all over the U.S. are offering more “customer-centric” patient care in order to increase patient satisfaction scores, which are becoming more and more important to raise and maintain Medicare reimbursement amounts.

These efforts, however, often have unintended consequences.

In the first place, customer-centric interventions rarely (if ever) improve the quality of care patients receive. Rather, they merely improve patients’ perceptions of care.
… Read more about: Sanford Health Gets it Backwards  »

On:
In: Allina, Home, Insurance, Nurses

By Mathew Keller RN JD

MNA Regulatory and Policy Specialist

“In Minnesota, like the rest of the country, our health care system is in crisis. Healthcare premiums have increased at double-digit levels year-after-year. Employers are being squeezed by these costs, and healthcare has become prohibitively expensive for many self-employed, retired, and uninsured citizens. In this climate, nonprofit healthcare organizations owe a heightened duty to show proper stewardship.”

This was testimony offered to the U.S. Senate Finance committee not this week, not this year, not even this decade—but on April 5, 2005, by then-Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch. It was spurred in part by a comprehensive audit performed by the Attorney General’s office on Allina Health and its subsidiary insurance company, Medica.
… Read more about: With Allina-Aetna Insurance Partnership, It’s Buyer Beware  »