[withasmilelpn]

My sister sent this to me, I felt that it was something allnurses.com nurses should be aware of.

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 exercisesand no breast. I remember begging the Doctors to keep these women inthe hospital longer, onl y to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies. So there I sat with my patient givingthem the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowingfull 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.


Mastectomy Bill in Congress: Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007 (S. 459/H.R.758)
It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important .. please take the time and do it really quick!


Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill - Important legislation for all women.
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 whichwill 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.

LifetimeTelevision 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/petition/signpetition.php

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


Petition: The Facts

[NRSKarenRN]

I was appalled when I started to get homecare referrals last year for Breast cancer patients post mastectomy from a short procedure unit!!!!

Know several of us made Senior Mgmt aware of trend and voiced our opinions to insurance case managers...also "educating" patients on hospitalization/healthcare appeal rights.


PA's been on forefront of Breast Cancer Legislation, providing free treatment for uninsured.
Flyer:http://pabreastcancer.org/pa_free_tr...gram_flyer.pdf

Extension of Medicaid for breast cancer treatment Effective January 1, 2002 Executive Order by Governor Ridge in June, 2001 Extends the state’s Medicaid coverage to uninsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through the Centers for Disease Control’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. Covers any other medical needs through the period of treatment. Entitles qualified women to immediate free treatment paid for through Medicaid. Guarantees coverage to women in PA of their full treatment costs through Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program. Covers the expenses of patients with breast and cervical cancer whose incomes are too high to meet the traditional guidelines for Medicaid, a federal-state health coverage program. Click here for current income guidelines. Click here to see the full story in the Fall, 2001 Frontline (PDF)

Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition has helped get many pieces of legislation passed: http://pabreastcancer.org/legislation.html


Added one more signature.....

Also:

Contact your representative or senator directly to urge them to support this legislation.

[Angie O'Plasty, RN]

I signed, even though Florida has laws that discourage this practice.
It's barbaric that any woman should have to go through this in this day and age.

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Originally Posted by Angie O'Plasty, RN

I signed, even though Florida has laws that discourage this practice.
It's barbaric that any woman should have to go through this in this day and age.

Agreed. I signed the petition, but also messaged my Congressman.

I am writing you to request you please support the above legislation. As an oncology nurse, I am appalled insurers are denying hospitalization for patients undergoing mastectomy procedures, forcing them to be discharged the same day as surgery, and/or when they have inadequate resources or ability to care for themselves at home. I ask that you support this legislation to protect these patients, and allow them and their physicians to decide if hospitalization is necessary.

Not that long ago, insurers limited coverage for the length of stay of mothers and newborns, forcing them to be discharged on the day of delivery; it took some terrible tragedies before lawmakers stepped up and mandated that insurers allow a minimum hospital stay.

Please don't wait for tragedy to occur before mastectomy patients are granted the same consideration.

Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Sincerely,

[Emmanual Goldstein]

(I said "patients" because men have mastectomies too)