Mastectomy Legislation

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home hours after surgery against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached. Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on. PLEASE! Sign the petition by clicking on the web site below and help women with breast cancer get the care they need and deserve! There is no cost or monetary pledge involved.. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.


http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/bc/pledges/bc_mast_pledge.html

 

I don’t mean to sound cold hearted but is the time fore ever gone when people would take responsibility for themselves?

This feel good legislation would only raise the premiums for health care coverage. But what do we care - most of us have our premiums paid for the our employers and/or the government. But ultimately we pay for it in the form of increased taxes or higher priced goods. (Except for the companies that simply go bankrupt because the can’t afford the premiums.)

Insurance companies are not forcing patients out of hospitals - they merely say the extra time was not a contracted for benefit. The patient can always stay - they just have to pay for the extra time.

Robert Reich, the former Secretary of Labor wants all employers to give every employee four weeks paid vacation every year. Why? Because some European countries have such laws.


And for the record, I would be equally opposed to extra time for patients who undergo prostate surgery as well the viagra pills which we pay for through Medicare.

Do you ever wonder who actually won the Cold War?

We’ve become a nation of whiners where everything negative that happens in our life should be paid for by others.

 

This is certainly a worthy cause and wish you well with your effort. It would also be worthwhile for the insurance company to pay for reconstructive prosthesis as well.

I have no problem with this law as others have been necessary to prevent drive-through deliveries. This is not a question of cold war. Insurance companies have license in this country granted to only a few industries. They have unlimited license to set both premium, and payment.

Requiring them to at least honor the wishes of a physician concerning post-op infection does not seem to be out of line. At least for 48 hours. Vastly different from paying for Viagra. Good luck with your cause from a staunch right wing Christian conservative.

 

That's right. Those women getting mastectomies should just shut up and take it like a man.

Why is it whenever someone starts a statement with something like, "I don't mean to sound cold hearted...," you always know what is coming next.



Tom Nixon

 

So then you knew he was right as soon as you read his preface?

 

Re: Randy Miller

I hope you aren't the whiner when I tell you that your ignorance is showing. You obviously have NO idea what mastectomy entails, especially when you try to compare it to prostate surgery. There is no comparison. Mastectomy often includes removal of a portion of the chest wall and muscles, as well as breast tissue and lymph glands. This is not something you put a bandaid on. Often these patients are also undergoing radiation and/or chemotherapy and are quite ill. The recuperation period is lengthy and arduous, and life threatening. I could go on at length and in great detail, but suffice it to say that you need to have all the facts before making such statements.

 

All signed Dr. Gina.

Best of luck to you in your outstanding cause. Please let us know what more we can do to help.


Mike

 

As it happens, I met a man in Washington last week who truly made a difference. When his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago, they learned that major, national insurance companies would pay for Tomoxifen for men with prostate cancer but not for women with breast cancer.

After getting the run-around for many months, he finally got a short audience with Senator Sam Nunn, who was surprised and angry, and within days did what needed to be done. This man's wife was the first of, now, many women to benefit.

 

You guys said it better than I could have done; thanks. I'm afraid I would have turned the TOS into mincemeat replying to the phenomenally stupid second post on this thread. This issue is one where the old Polish liberation slogan applies: for your freedom and for ours.

 

How is the second post stupid, oh wise one? And by what bizarre logic does control become freedom?

 

The others have spoken for me, as I said. I will add only two things:

1) Social Darwinism and mammon-worship are paths to hell--and yes, I do mean this quite literally. Flerens et stridor dentium and all that, for ever and ever and ever.

2) Thank you, Dr Gina, for bringing this matter to everybody's attention.

 

This is what you wrote, janko:

You did turn the TOS into mincemeat, janko.

"Social Darwinism and mammon-worship" refers to...?

First you engage in pure ad hominem attack. Then you sling that religio-psychotic crap at unnamed parties and without qualification. If there is a Hell then you'd best fear it, janko, as there are none so evil as to wish Hell on others. And for political oneupsmanship, janko. You spew some political palaver, government being your true God, and declare Hell to be the fate of who would disagree with janko. That is evil.

 

studies

Most of these studies show what they wanted them to show. How were the subjects (patients) selected? What it isn't telilng is that some women have that decision left to their doctor, while some are dependent on what their HMO will cover. Yes, everyone is better off leaving earlier rather than later-IF there are no complications and IF the patient has a support system at home.
I know of one patient who had no relatives or friends to care for her post-op. She was sent home the same day with three drains attached, each having to be emptied and measured periodically.
A fever ensued, systemic infection occurred, and she was back for a two week stay, which could have been avoided by a few more hours monitoring post-op. My point is that we can't, shouldn't , wouldn't want to support one-size-fits-all legislation. The length of patient stay should be determined by the doctor and patient, based on individual need. Allowing for an additional day assures that complications can be caught, saving thousands of dollars in the long run, if not more. BTW, 10% of all breast cancer cases occur in men.

 

Re: studies

You see, now, you get it. You musta looked at the top of the screen and seen "Discussion Board" printed out right there. Seeing "Discussion Board" you musta thought, "Hey! We could have us here one of them discussion things!" and decided to discuss stuff.

 

Not that I don't think a ~48hr post op stay is a good thing following most surgery, except the most minimally invasive procedures, however legislating hospital stays is absurd.

What if I want to go home the next day, what if I don't like hospitals.

If Florida insurance companies are required to pay for chiropractic care as it is legislated. I think chiropractic is nonsense. I am sure there are many who think it is just dandy, but why should my insurance cost more because I am entitled to a benefit I will never use.
Oral contraceptives are another mandated coverage. Personally I don't think insurance companies should pay for any form of birth control and there are those who argue that OC's can be used to control skin conditions and the like but I really don't care they should not be paid for by my insurance. I should be able to buy insurance that does not offer this benefit - I should not be forced to accept increased premiums for this benefit or go without insurance which are my only two options in Florida.

If one has a mastectomy, or any other surgery and does not feel well enough to go home, tell your doctor you do not feel well enough. They will keep you in the hospital. They may send in the discharge planner but tell the discharge planner to bugger off, what are they going to do call the cops. Go home when you feel well enough to go home. Even if they have to get a group of doctors to agree that you should go home you will have bought that extra day you wanted.

Remember, the patient is the person most responsible for their health care. Not the doctor, not the nurse, not the hospital, not the insurance company, it is YOU.

So there is no need for a law to keep any patient any set period after any procedure. It takes the guts to tell the staff and the physician that you are not leaving today, you will leave tomorrow! Any woman that can face breast cancer and a mastectomy certainly has the guts to do this and if they feel weakened by the surgery or the medications let me know and I'll sit by their bedside and tell the doctor and the staff to bugger off myself.

Personally I would rather be at home on my comfortable couch watching TV and drinking flat gingerale like my mother gave me when I was sick as a child. I would also like a visiting nurse to come by once a day for the first few days post op. Insurance companies will never pay for this because it is not traditional--- cheaper but not traditional.

No one has a right to healthcare. Everyone has the right to access to health care. If you are going to lie or not pay for treatment then you deserve what you get. If you are going to be honest with your health care givers and make arrangements to pay as you are able then you should get the health care you need.

I am an RN, although I work fulltime in a different line of work because it pays more and being a full time RN burned me out.

 

Is simply requiring a person to pay for services rendered really such a phenomentally stupid concept?

As far as your old Polish liberation slogan goes, has there been a time in the last 300 years where the Polish people materially aided in their own liberation? (Not counting the six long days they fought Hitler.)

Is your definition of freedom, having the government control every aspect of your life?

 

Re: studies

So are we to assume that you know more about the economics of the situtation than all the accountants at all the major health providers? If your statement is accurate, would you care to explain why any HMO would allow a patient to go home any sooner?

For the sake of the reputation of the UC system, I hope "bruinsgrad" refers to your high school and not UCLA.

 

Mr. Miller and friend?

1." For the sake of the reputation of the UC system, I hope "bruinsgrad" refers to your high school and not UCLA."

2. "You see, now, you get it. You musta looked at the top of the screen and seen "Discussion Board" printed out right there. Seeing "Discussion Board" you musta thought, "Hey! We could have us here one of them discussion things!" and decided to discuss stuff."

1. Yes, I am a proud alumni of UCLA, and I'm really sorry you question my ability to state a well known statistic. I strongly disagree with your position on this issue and I hope you can be open-minded enough to accept the contradiction to your statements.

2. What prompted this? Is your snide submission your idea of discussion?

 

So other than complain and whine and call each other names did any of you do anything about this.

I said I would sit by the bedside and keep them from taking anyone who had a mastectomy out of the hospital who wished to stay a second day.

Of course many of you don't believe me but just try me.

Once I said if someone won't continue a program in Guatemala for Ixil indians that lost funding for several months I would do it. 44 days later the funding was found, I and several others went down, some for the whole time and some for a week at a time. Those at home pestered charities until they opened their purse strings.
I have learned to temper my outbursts since then but it was one of the most interesting times in my life. http://oneil.cx/guat1.jpg

If everyone who went in for a mastectomy told the physican that they wanted to stay 2 days and if they were insistant and if they made it clear to each nurse and physician they saw. I am certain the 2 days would not be a problem. You may have to talk to some silk suited hospital executive but stick to your guns and I am sure that you will be allowed to stay. If not drop me a note and I'll come to your hospital room. They will have to drag you out over me.

So quit insulting one another, be happy you live where access to medical care is available. Sure you have to pay for health care, but remember you can't go more than ten miles in the States w/o finding some employment. You may not want to be the night clerk at the gas-and-go but there are thousands of people who would be glad to come here for that job.

You are not obligated to go with insurance your company offers, there are other options and if you don't medically qualify for any commercial plans each state has a joint underwriting association which must take all applicants. It sure is expensive but it is your choice. If you are to ill or infirm to work there are programs for that as well.

Remember, if you are not part of the solution.....shut up; those that are part of the solution don't want your advice.