OT - Proposed Mastectomy Law Change

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Proposed Mastectomy Law Change

(written by a surgeon);

I'll never forget the look in my patient’s 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 patient giving them the instructions they
needed to take care of themselves, knowi ng 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. Insurance 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.

This Mastectomy Bill is in Congress now. It takes 2 seconds to do this
and is very important. Please take the time and do it really quick!
The Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill is important legislation for
all women.

Please send this to everyone in your address book. 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.mylifetime.com/community/my-lifetime-commitment/breast-cancer/petition/breast-cancer-petition


This takes about 2 seconds. PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your 20 friends.

[JBAdorableDoodles]

thanks for sharing this ...it is sad & I will forward it on

[Stella]

I am a physio (in Canada) and currently treating a post-mastectomy patient. I was appalled to hear from her that she had her surgery as day-surgery!! She went in the morning, had her breast removed, was drugged up the eyeballs, and then handed over to her huisband to take her home. This is disgusting.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

In 2008, the House took up H.R.(758) a revised version of the Breast CancerPatient Protection Act of 2007, which has been introduced 21 months earlier) and passed it. The bill now awaits necessary approval by the Senate before it is passed to the President for signature.
On snopes they advise to contact your congerssional represenative directly by U.S.Mail, telephone, fax, or email.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/mastectomy.asp

I'm all for this cause, but what would really be the best course of action, I also fixed your link Adrianne on here so you can click on it. Adina taught me how to do this yesterday, and very greatfull now I know. Will pass on to you also in email.

http://www.mylifetime.com/community/my-lifetime-commitment/breast-c...