OT Breast Cancer Rant

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
news
As a none American, I'm hazy on things here, isn't medicaid supposed to
step in in situations like this, or is that something that varies from
state to state? Here (WA), I see quite a lot of adverts for various drug
plans relating to this, the monthly charges seem very reasonable.

Those ads you see are put together by marketing firms for the drug and
insurance companies contracted by the state to SUPPOSEDLY take up the slack.
There are so many rules, regulations and loop holes in the system it's
criminal. Income, assets, age, marital status and health issues are all
factored into complicated formulas for eligibility and premiums charged.
Medicaid and Medicare also have contradictory rules and regulations. All
differ from state to state. All is not as simple as it seems on those 20
second commercials.

Val

Steve,
I had my mastectomy last year and spent 2 nights. Please also let your
student's mom know of reconstruction. When you lose your breast to cancer
insurance should cover it. My insurance has paid for mine so far.
Reconstruction made me feel whole again. I have some breast cancer books
for her if she is interested? let me know.
Pami

Pami wrote:
Steve,
I had my mastectomy last year and spent 2 nights. Please also let your
student's mom know of reconstruction. When you lose your breast to cancer
insurance should cover it. My insurance has paid for mine so far.
Reconstruction made me feel whole again. I have some breast cancer books
for her if she is interested? let me know.
Pami

Pami -- are you old enough to remember when Reconstruction wasn't
covered by insurance?? The woman who had lost her breast had to have
the surgery authorized by a Psychiatrist for her "mental health"! At
the time, I was coordinator for a Women's Re-Entry program at a local
community college. I did Peer Counseling for a number of women who had
a single or double radical mastectomy and not one of them could have
reconstructive surgery unless they paid for it out of their pocket or
went to see a shrink and convinced "him" that they were about to go
postal over the whole thing. Of course, the insurance didn't cover much
of the cost of seeing the shrink, either!! We were caught in a Catch 22
on that one until women really started to get politically active about
the whole thing.
VBS -- the way insurance coverage is going in this country, I bet
the Insurance companies want us to feel we are lucky to have out-patient
surgery for things like breast cancer! #(*#$^%$*%*#$%(* Insurance
"Bottom Line" rat b*s*a*ds. CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

My doctor said we can thank Hillary. I guess this bill was passed in
1998?? If I had know about it I would of had reconstruction at the time of
my mastectomy. I found out after my surgery.
Some of same day surgeries are okay but not such delicate stuff like this.

Some of same day surgeries are okay but not such delicate stuff like this.

I think it's much fewer than anyone might imagine, since 2000, I've had
4 surgeries, all could have been day surgeries, 3 were planned to be,
but only once did I actually get out the same day and even then, it was
still several hours after everyone else had left, they were bordering on
admitting me. Maybe it's just me that reacts badly, but it seems pretty
much everything causes pain, even a keyhole surgery with minot things
done inside, the wounds can be really sore. The one I did make it home
the same day I was back with a complication within 48hrs, though the
consultant was able to treat it without readmission.

It's worrying me a bit as I need to schedule yet another surgery, my
first one in the US and I know that I'd have to be in a terrible
condition for them to keep me in, particularly as it would mean
ambulance transfer. I'm anxious about post operative pain and also about
going to the toilet, in the past I've needed bed pans or significant
help in getting to the bathroom. I can't see why it would be any
different this time. I think it will be hard for my husband as he won't
know what is normal and fine and what is to be concerned about, so he's
likely to worry about anything symptoms I get.

Cheers
Anne

You said it better than I could have.

Debra in VA

On Wed, 8 Aug 2007 08:54:22 -0400, "Kate G."
wrote:

If you feel seriously about this issue to respond, signing the petition is
not extremely helpful. If you want to make a difference, send an email to
your federal congressman and senators. Put your name and complete address
at the bottom. Include a few SHORT remarks about why this issue is
important to you.

I have been actively involved in several "marches" in Washington, D.C. on
behalf of the genetic disorder my son has. I have met with not only
congressmen and senators... but more often their health-care aides. Meet
with them at their local offices. If your issue has touched your life,
include a picture and a short story. Give them a face to remember. (In 5
years of meeting with DC politicians and their aides, we have received
appropriations especially earmarked for research for our disability in
excess of $10 million dollars. Meeting with them face-to-face en mass does
make a difference. Those who can't go to Washington that weekend email that
weekend. So we get our issue in front of them hundreds (maybe thousands!!)
of times within a week. It works!)

I have learned that a bunch of "names" on a petition does not carry much
water. Elected officials listen to their constituents. They want to be
re-elected. So a personal message directly to the person who casts YOUR
ballot will carry far more weight.

So if this issue is important to you, spread the word around your local
community hand state and get written messages (emails) to them en mass.
Remind them that they are there to voice the opinion of their constituents.
Remind them that they are there to represent you ... and this is the message
you want them to hear and represent.

You can find contact information for your representatives he
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

It's not that I don't support a petition -- it's just that I really want to
make a difference, I want to DO what will have greater impact.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere

My DIL came home about 24 hours after her mastectomy. Had a drainage
tube and a pain pump on her when she came home..Prayers for your
student's mother for a healthy speedy recovery..I feel that they aren't
giving people enough hospital time to recover.
Michele from Ohio

Signed today, Steve. This is an issue close to my heart, my own sainted
mother is a breast cancer survivor. She was lucky, her insurance allowed an
overnight stay in the hospital...........for a 75-year-old woman! I shudder
to think how fast they would have booted her out the door if she had been,
say, in her 40s.

That said, any person facing a major health issue is very lucky to have
loving and caring family or friends to assist in the aftercare. Sending
good healing thoughts and prayers to Alaska from Arizona.

--
Carolyn in The Old Pueblo

If it ain't broke, you're not trying. --Red Green
If it ain't broke, it ain't mine. --Carolyn McCarty

If at first you don't succeed, switch to power tools. --Red Green
If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer. --Carolyn McCarty

"steve" wrote in message
...
Hello All

Well, I am on a rant today, let me tell you. A former student of mine,
whom
I think very highly of, is at home this evening caring for his mother who
had a complete left breast mastectomy today. That is not even half of
what
irritates me. She arrived at the hospital at 6:00 am and was discharged
at
12:30 pm. 6 1/2 HOURS LATER!!!!!!!!!! What are insurance companies and
Doctors thinking? Obviously not about the patient. Is this the norm?
Please tell me it isn't. I did find this link for a petition to back a
bill
before congress.

http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcanc...gnpetition.php

I have went to it and so has Bert. I am sure that most of you have
already
been to such a site already. I am simply outraged over this. I'll
probably
email my three congressional delegates but doubt if anything will come of
it. All three are under investigation for corruption.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Steve
Alaska

Thanks, Val. "Contracted by the State" means a company like United Health
Care (a for-profit company) is part of the problem, and Medicaid itself with
its conflicting regulations is another part. In Arizona, one has to be
literally destitute before qualifying for Medicaid. In other words, no
house, no car, no bank account or retirement plan, no assets of any kind.
If you have any assets, you must sell them and expend the proceeds on
medical care before Medicaid will step in.

It's an ugly situation, and bound to get worse unless we all make ourselves
heard. I honestly don't mind paying taxes when the money goes to actually
helping people, or making the world truly safer.

And I won't go any further on that subject........not into flame wars at the
moment!

--
Carolyn in The Old Pueblo

If it ain't broke, you're not trying. --Red Green
If it ain't broke, it ain't mine. --Carolyn McCarty

If at first you don't succeed, switch to power tools. --Red Green
If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer. --Carolyn McCarty

"Val" wrote in message
...

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
news
As a none American, I'm hazy on things here, isn't medicaid supposed to
step in in situations like this, or is that something that varies from
state to state? Here (WA), I see quite a lot of adverts for various drug
plans relating to this, the monthly charges seem very reasonable.

Those ads you see are put together by marketing firms for the drug and
insurance companies contracted by the state to SUPPOSEDLY take up the
slack. There are so many rules, regulations and loop holes in the system
it's criminal. Income, assets, age, marital status and health issues are
all factored into complicated formulas for eligibility and premiums
charged. Medicaid and Medicare also have contradictory rules and
regulations. All differ from state to state. All is not as simple as it
seems on those 20 second commercials.

Val