Breast Cancer Killing U.S. Women Unable to Afford Health Care

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/01/31/breast-cancer-killing-us-women-unable-to-afford-health-care/

There are many people suffering—and dying—in this nation from lack of health care, and Rachele Huennekens, AFL-CIO Media Outreach fellow, describes how this nation’s growing health care crisis affects women.



Amy, a woman in Pennsylvania, prays for good health. Without health insurance, prayer is her option.

I’ve decided that the next time a lump is found I will NOT be getting the mammogram. I can’t afford it. I pray nothing bad ever happens to my family or myself.

This situation may be much more common among working women today than we realize. Amy, who submitted this story to the AFL-CIO-Working America 2008 Health Care for America Survey, is among thousands of working people across the country who have shared their experiences with America’s broken health care system on the site.

Nearly 17 million U.S. women—including nearly one in four women between ages 19 and 54—were uninsured in 2006, according to AFL-CIO health facts on women.

Sadly, their stories are affirming some chilling national trends. A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that insurance co-payments are deterring women from getting breast cancer X-ray screenings known as mammograms. The study, conducted by researchers at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, found that screening rates were 8.3 percent lower for women who had co-payments than for women whose insurance coverage paid for the exams in full.


FULL story at link.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. This may be inappropriate, it may be off topic sort of, it may be

received badly, and it will probably be shot down in flames.... but I have to put it here.

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00033345?term=indole+AND+carbinol&rank=1

Purpose

RATIONALE: Chemoprevention therapy is the use of certain drugs to try to prevent the development or recurrence of cancer. Indole-3-carbinol may be effective in preventing breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of indole-3-carbinol in preventing breast cancer in nonsmoking women who are at high risk for breast cancer.

Condition Intervention Phase
Breast Cancer
Drug: indole-3-carbinol
Procedure: chemoprevention
Phase I

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. When I was in the UK last summer

one of my B&B landladies told about the time her GP suspected during a routine exam that she might have cancer. She did. The time between the GP's first suspicion through a series of tests to her eventual surgery was only TWO WEEKS. Then she had radiation and chemo. All from the much-maligned NHS. All supported by taxes.

[Habibi]

3. I'm very fortunate, in that

I am *currently* able to afford a health insurance plan that doesn't charge me for a routine screening. I just had one, "free of charge" (hah, my monthly premium is $311 for a single person, not exactly free, but at leaast routine mammos are covered). Anyway, this sucks. If a lump were discovered, could I afford treatment? I have no idea. And if a lump were discovered, would my insurance abandon me?

The shit we live with in amrika.

[tyedyeto]

5. At $32 per week.......next week to change to $58 per week

and mammograms have never been a part of my health care.

Why the fuck do I continue to pay this price?

Because... if I ever do NEED it, for major medical purposes, it's there. But, damn, over $200 per month is almost 1/5 of my income.

I'm 55 and have to think ahead of times between now and 65 when I 'might' be eligible for medi-care.

I have a hard time justifying almost $250 per month when my gross is only $1200.

But I do it because:

1. I'm getting older

and

2. I lived for years thinking.... never be without health insurance.

I 'may' be eligible for state aid but that's just not me. So, what does someone in my position do other than 'pay the price'?


Edit to add:

Do any of these damn candidates give a fuck about myself and all other women in my situation?

They have their health care and don't give a shit about anyone else!!!!

[Octafish]

4. Most important thread and subject.

Thank you, Omaha Steve. That article deserves to be read, far and wide.

Because of greed, too many women can't get the care they deserve. The many who have lost their lives prove greed is not good.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. K&R. We've had this disease recently in our family, and, fortunately, had insurance and good care.

Sadly, I read yesterday about the co-pay preventing many women from having mammograms. I wish health care for all women -- for all Americans.

[Hekate]

7. We have a 3rd World health care delivery system.Those who can't afford it can go die in an alley...

....but if you are the President, VP, or Member of Congress -- only the best will do.

Excellent health care is available in just about all Third World nations: all you need is enough money.

I hate it that this is what my country has become.

Hekate

[Donk Yore]

8. This may sound ridiculous, but

I buy breast cancer stamps at the post office. One has to pay a bit more, but the money goes for research (that's my understanding, anyway).

[Lorien]

9. I'm 42 and I've never had a mammogram

I'm like Amy-I know that I can't afford to deal with cancer,so I don't get tested. I know that my only option if I develop cancer is "early check out", so I just hope that it doesn't happen. I have quite a few friends in the same boat. Such a civilized country that we live in, isn't it?

[gratuitous]

10. Wait, why don't these women just go to the emergency room?

President Bush said they can go anytime and get free medical care there. Golly, you dames should just listen to George!

[Democrat 4 Ever]

11. There is treatment available for women for breast and cervical cancer

without health care coverage. I have related this before but think it is worth repeating.

A little history - I was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer. I went to my local health department for a check-up because I hadn't had health insurance for three years. They referred me to the hospital for my mammogram. After the doctors took at least 10 pictures I was told they were pretty sure I had breast cancer. I started crying right then and there as I choked to tell the doctor that I didn't have health insurance. I didn't know what I was going to do.

My daughter, who works for a family practitioner in South Carolina, immediately got online to see if Kentucky has a Medicaid program like her state. It does. Any uninsured woman in Kentucky (and daughter thinks this program is available through the states nationwide but not positive - check your local health dept.) who gets a diagnosis of breast or cervical cancer automatically qualifies for Medicaid. You have to produce legal ID, fill out a simple form on monthly income, etc. I had my insurance in less than 10 minutes. My coverage is the Breast & Cervical Cancer Treament Program (BCCTP) through the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Service.

I received excellent care. Beyond any thing I had hoped to see. I am through with surgeries, chemo, etc. and on the road to full recovery. Please tell all of your friends and family to check to see if this program is available in their area.

NONE of my doctors or the hospital or even the Cancer Society in my small town or in Louisville knew of this program. Not one. I know I have shared this before but if it gets to just one woman who needs help it bears repeating.

[Omaha Steve]

12. Marta's employer pays annually for a free mammogram screen

I get a prostate exam once a year free. There was a screw up on payment in the amount of $11 and some odd cents on her mammogram. I got this bill Monday. I called the providers office. They told me it was some test Marta's doctor ordered. She had had several done in Oct., so I paid the bill over the phone. When Marta got home she knew just what is was. They tried it on her in Nov. Wow was she mad. It was not her employers fault and she roasted some snotty clerk that didn't want to try to understand the $11 was already paid. It was their mistake. Even no charge medical items come with grief.

[Vinca]

13. Because I can't afford insurance,

I don't check my breasts and I don't get mammograms. There's no point. If I had it, I couldn't afford treatment and I'd rather die prematurely than leave my family penniless and living on the street. What a country.

[Liberal In Texas]

14. I know someone who is going to die soon just because of this.

No insurance. She's a person who has always worked in the food service industry and apparently found a lump a year ago and didn't tell anyone, and didn't seek any medical help because of no insurance and a job where employees work for tips and live hand to mouth.

Now, it's spread to her liver and it's just a question of time.

Ironically she was always been a strong republican and Limpball listener.

What a sad state of affairs when people believe that they're better off because they don't have to worry about that damned "socialized" medicine.

[Omaha Steve]

15. One click a day for breast cancer

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2&link=ctg_bcs_home_from_ths_thankyou_sitenav

[blindpig]

16. This is class warfare

Just one example. How long we gonna take it?

[Touchdown]

17. We need Universal Healthcare now. Enough.

Enough of this holding peoples lives hostage for a few pocket-fills of silver! The CEO of United Healthcare gets $1.3 billion in compensation, and 17 million women go without mammograms. The healthcare insurance industry should be indicted for voluntary manslaughter.:grr:

I propose a new meme. For profit healthcare is IMMORAL! They can use the trappings of Christianity for their own ends, well so can we!