[eggie smurf]

I received this in an email today. I normally delete forwards but I think this is an important message. It only takes a few seconds and it could help reform the current insurance laws in America.

From a nurse

> I'll never forget the look in my patients' eyes when
> I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises
> and no breast. I remember begging the Doctors to keep these women in the hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were
> tied by the insurance companies. So there I sat with my patients, giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves,
> knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because
> the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the
> quiet 'Thank You they muttered.
>
> A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in
> order to remove cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone
> who has had a Mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of
> discomfort and pain afterwards. Insur ance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.
>
> It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important. If there was ever >a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of >those times. If you're receiving this, it's because I think you will take >the 30 seconds to go to vote on this issue and send it on to others you >know who will do the same.
>
> 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 just a few 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. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.
>
>
http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/ ... tition.php

[Rachel]

Thanks for the link Stace, I will go and check it out a little later.

My Grandmother had this op so I completely aware of what the patient has to go through and to be honest, am shocked at the proposals.

[Smurfysmurf]

Well, I must admit...even though I work for an insurance company I wasn't aware that this was an outpatient surgery...I could have sworn it was inpatient...but I asked around today and I was frankly shocked that nobody thought anything by it being an outpatient surgery...

but they were shocked that I was only under local anesthesia when my four wisdom teeth were removed in Germany...as apparently you go full under for this procedure over here

I really hope I don't offend anybody now..but I am having a hard time understanding the American Health policies... ....and I have been with my present employer (a huge health insurance) for seven years this month

Rant over

Good post, Stace

[eggie smurf]

but they were shocked that I was only under local anesthesia when my four wisdom teeth were removed in Germany...as apparently you go full under for this procedure over here

They must be sissies down south then... ...you only go full under 'round here if you have them impacted and surgically removed. If they just need pulling, it's general. I was lucky though, all four of mine were impacted

Between drive-thru mastectomies and drive-thru births, it's a wonder us women even go to the doctors anymore