National Nurses United

NewsBriefs_Oct Alt 11/25/09 6:45 PM Page 7 Maine Nurses Fight Spike in Health Insurance Premiums R MAINE egistered nurses at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital and their families are going without health insurance. That's the reality for some nurses after the self-insured hospital suddenly raised health insurance rates on its unionized employees, by more than 300 percent for some people, in early October. The RNs, with the help of CNA/NNOC and the M aine State Nurses Association, are fighting back against the health benefits change and have filed a grievance against the hospital for raising rates in the middle of a contract without negotiations. "A contract is a contract," said Denise Chandler, a part-time pediatrics clinic RN who has worked a total of almost 25 years at Maine Coast. "We're up for negotiations in six months. They should have tried to negotiate this the right way, not the threatening way." This spring, Maine Coast management had asked all hospital employees to give up raises, sick time, a holiday, and take a retirement cut. Registered nurses, who are unionized, voted twice to reject these takeaways while nonunionized staff had no choice but to accept them. RNs now believe that the health insurance hikes are retaliation for resisting the earlier concessions. Under the current contract, the hospital is supposed to contribute a certain percentage toward the costs of health insurance for the RNs. If insurance costs go up , RNs' share of premiums could potentially rise. But the OCTOBER 2009 problem with the current situation is that the hospital has not asserted nor provided any proof that its insurance costs have increased by the amount they are now raising premiums for RNs. "They could not produce any numbers to show they are in any way hurting or need to make these cuts," said Cathleen Senecal, an RN who also works in the pediatrics clinic. In fact, ar ound the same time M aine Coast raised insurance rates, a story in the local paper, The Ellsworth American, announced that the hospital made almost $1 million last year. As a result of the insurance hikes, Chandler has had to drop coverage entirely for herself, her husband, and two children. Her family depends on her job for insur ance, but under the new rates, her premiums doubled from $140 per pay period to $280 and they just couldn't afford it. Her family was already on the most bare-bones plan, which included a $2,500 per person deductible, did not cover any prescriptions, and still required her to pay 20 percent. "That's like half my paycheck right there, just for insurance," said Chandler. "We've dropped it for the time being. We'll just gamble for a few months." Senecal, a single mom, likewise has had to drop co verage for herself and her 15 From left: RNs Denise year-old son. Her preChandler and Cathleen mium contributions Senecal have had to skyrocketed from $68 drop their families' per pay period to health insurance $230. She also had a coverage after their $2,000 deductible . employer raised rates "This year, I decided by as much as 300 it makes more sense percent. They and for me to pay out of coworkers are fighting pocket for what w e the increase. need," she said. But she's terribly worried about her financial exposure without health insurance. In early November, her son had abdominal pain. "I was like, Oh no! I hope it's not appendicitis. I can't just let him die her e on the couch!" r emembered Senecal. Luckily, it was just some stomach bug, but she still fears what would happen if he did get hurt or if she slipped on the ice this winter and breaks a leg. Many other nurses are in similarly hard positions, especially single parents and those who provide insurance coverage for their husbands, many of whom hold seasonal jobs or are self employed, and children. "I am confident that we will fix this," said Chandler. "Who helped make that million dollars? We did." —staff report Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation Publication title: Registered Nurse. Publication number: 1932-8966. Filing date: 9-21-2009. Issue frequency: Monthly except for combined issues in January-February and July-August. Number of issues published annually: 10. Annual subscription price: $40. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 2000 Franklin St., Oakland, Alameda County, California, 94612-2908. Contact person: Lucia Hwang. Telephone: (510) 273-2200. Complete mailing addresses of headquarters or general business office of publisher: Same as above. Publisher: California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, 2000 Franklin St., Oakland, California, 94612. Editor: Lucia Hwang. Managing editor: None. Owner: California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, 2000 Franklin St., Oakland, California, 94612. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount: none. Tax status: Has not changed during preceding 12 months. Publication title: Registered Nurse. Issue date for circulation data below: July-August 2009. Extent and nature of circulation: Registered nurse members of CNA/NNOC and subscribers. For the following, the first number represents the average number of copies of each issue during preceding 12 months and the second number represents the number of copies of the single issue published nearest to filing date. Total number of copies (net press run): 78,500; 79,000. Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: 69,191; 73,652. Mailed in-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: 0; 0. Paid distribution outside the mails including sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid distribution outside USPS:0; 0. Paid distribution by other classes of mail thr ugh the o USPS: 58; 58. Total paid distribution: 69,249; 73,710. Free or nominal rate outside-county copies included on PS Form 3541: 47; 47. Free or nominal rate in-county copies included on PS Form 3541: 0; 0. Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes through the USPS: 0; 0. Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail:9104; 5143. Total free or nominal rate distribution: 9151; 5190. Total distribution: 78,400; 78,900. Copies not distributed: 100; 100. Total: 78,500; 79,000. Percent paid: 88.3%; 93.4%. Information in this statement will be published in the October 2009 issue of this publication. W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G REGISTERED NURSE 7

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