Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act

maggie b. · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 2252

I just heard of this today and signed the petition. Here is what I received in the mail:

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. 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.

It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important. Please take the time and do it! 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 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 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, state, and zip code.
[url]
http://WWW.lifetimetv.Com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php [/url]

This takes about 2 seconds. PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and Family, and on behalf of all women, THANKS!!!!

Edited to turn it into URL. Sorry about the mistake the first time.

LinnieGayl · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 752

Thank you, Maggie! I just signed the petition.
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LinnieGayl

LeeB. · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 1221 Location: Seattle, WA

I signed it too. I wasn't aware of insurance companies trying to do this, but I'm not surprised. Rolling Eyes

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maggie b. · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 2252

Thanks for signing! I was appalled when I read this--I can't imagine having to go home and deal with my own drainage tubes, etc--I really feel for the poor women that have had to deal with this.

maggie b.

bookbug · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 300 Location: California USA

As an nurse I can't agree more!
People are having major surgeries and leaving the hospitals sooner and sooner without patient teaching or teaching those family members that will need to care for those who don't understand the discharge instructions!
Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

TTFN
bookbug Smile

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