Over the Christmas holiday, Rush Limbaugh was rushed to the hospital in Hawai’i because of chest pains. He praised the treatment he got there:
“Based on what happened to me here, I don’t think there is one thing wrong with the American health care system. It is working just fine, just dandy.”
The SEIU points out that Rush Limbaugh is praising Hawai’i’s progressive health care reform and the Queen’s Medical Center’s unionized nursing staff.
1. Hawaii is a shining example of progressive health care reform. In fact, Hawaii is so forward-thinking that the Senate bill excludes Hawaii from some of its provisions, because Hawaii’s requirements on employers go farther than the federal legislation.
Since 1974, Hawaii has required all employers to provide quality health care benefits to any employee who works 20 hours a week or more. Because of Hawaii’s increased coverage, reports the New York Times, “hospital and insurance executives in Hawaii say they have been able to innovate efficiencies. For instance, the state’s top three medical providers are adopting electronic medical records — years ahead of most mainland counterparts.”
One reporter noted “the medical system in Hawaii is as close to socialized medicine as there is in the United States, and, much of the Democrats reform bill is based in the Hawaii system.”
2. Limbaugh stayed at Queen’s Medical Center, where nursing staff are represented by the Hawaii Nurses’ Association (read: a labor union). The nurses at Queen’s are protected by their contract, which adheres to the ANA’s safe-staffing principles guaranteeing appropriate staffing levels for any patient care unit.
Thanks Rush!