Congress does not often know best when it comes to medical matters. But those who know best are allowing “drive-through†mastectomies to continue. Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, is among lawmakers who have a problem with that. He’s a co-sponsor of the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, and he joined “Desperate Housewives†star Marcia Cross last week in promoting the bill on Capitol Hill. The bill, championed by the Lifetime network and more than 20 million viewers who signed an online petition, would allow women the choice to stay in a hospital for at least 48 hours after their mastectomies. “The difficulty of the situation should not be made worse by the uncertainties of insurance coverage,†Moran said in a statement.
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16 Comments
This says a lot about insurance companies that we have to mandate hospital stay length in order to get proper healthcare. But oh no, those who think private is so much better- here is one example of where the bottom line means more than patient safety or health. As with everything else with the insurance companies…they want to make money off of you. Not make sure you’re well taken care of.
Some years ago I had become firmly convinced that at least some in the medical and insurance professions. Were evaluating the Patents not on meaning of life but on a value of their lives. How much should be “invested “ in the continuation of the patent? The elderly, the handicapped and the infirmed all being a matter of how much if they were to continue to live, Would they be able to contribute to the society, but their working and or knowledge. HMO are very concerned with this bottom line, medical professionals seem to take the “if you do not get better or die in two weeks come back” approach to their practice.
Gone seem the days when the Doctor did not want you to leave until they knew exactly what was wrong and a course of treatment for it. With each one of my children, it seemed my wife hospital stay became shorter and shorter. We actually stopped going to Wesley Hospital because after seeing a ER Doctor you may not ever see another Doctor the entire time of your stay.
Health care is the one issue I am always thinking should not be a matter of cost and the utmost should be given when the need arises.
Once again Jerry Moran shows us that today’s GOP retains at least one of its jewels from days gone by.
Not that the RNC appreciates Rep. Moran much outside a handful of months preceding “every second year,” when its allocating its national resources to the general election.
Thank you, Jerry.
Moran votes along party lines more than 90%. So whatever.
Political_mama
Posted January 27, 2008 at 10:16 am:
90%? Not sure about how meaningful that is.
For example, Moran voted against NCLB, the Medicare Part D expansion, and he’s been in general a thorn in the RNC’s side for a long time now.
He also flies back to Great Bend every weekend, and he’s irreproachably attached to citizen meetings. I believe he conducts at least one every weekend.
He’s consistent in his principles, and that says a lot. Especially in today’s GOP, where the standard under Bush has been lowered to something just above “is the Republic in question sane?!?”
Moran is a good man, and a jewel in Kansas’s Congressional delegation. And not just because he’s sane! :D
It’s sad that laws must be passed in order to keep insurance companies from kicking patients out of the hospital right after they have a baby or a major surgery like a mastectomy..we even had to pass a law forcing insurance companies to cover the cost of breast reconstruction for women who suffered through breast cancer treatment. Insurance companies are only concerned for their bottom line…we need nationalized and standardized health care in this country, people shouldn’t have to risk their lives or fight for basic health care. Adequate healthcare should be a right, not a privelege. The US is really lagging behind other industrialized countries when it comes to accessable and affordable health care.
Mary Caruso: Of the 40 or so nations that claim to support the free market capitalist system and have representative governments, only 3 have no universal insurance protecting their citizens. Turkey, Mexico and the United States and you would get a helluva argument from those that do, if you called them socialists. There is nothing wrong with health care in the US, just getting access to it without the monetary worry. Put health care in the hands of the providers, not the administrators of profit driven insurance leeches.
Yes Writer Dog, I too have idealistic views of health care.
I think an 85-year old man should be able to get a heart transplant when these hearts are sometimes being given to a 45-year old man instead.
There should be no limits to what we spend on health care as all lives are important.
We have unlimited resources in America!
And if an actress from Hollywood says Congress needs to pass this Bill, then by God we need to make sure this Bill passes!
I can think of no higher authority then Marcia Cross for these health care issues.
No wonder health care costs are soaring.
America wants unlimited health care, but doesn’t want to pay for it.
No wonder health care costs are soaring.
America wants unlimited health care, but doesn’t want to pay for it.
With National Health Care in Canada, how many 60+ year olds get a kidney or heart transplant?
HillaryCare! promises to cut costs. Cutting health care coverage is the way she will cut cots.
You know Max, you totally missed the point as usual. The women getting these masectomies have insurance, so they are paying. It’s that insurance companies are taking people’s money, but are unwilling to cover the costs of the actual healthcare. Do they send other amputees home in a day?
I’m surprised that Pall hasn’t been on here telling us that outpatient mastectomies are safer than hospitalizing patients that might otherwise be at risk for hospital infections, and the insurance industry is only trying to reform medical practice to save lives; all those extra profits are a just reward for those efforts.
Who said Americans don’t want to pay for health care, Max? I think most Americans would be happy with AFFORDABLE health care and easier access to it. Do you plan not to take advantage of Medicare when the time comes? Or do you already have that coverage now? What’s wrong with the rest of the country having access to the same basic healthcare? Why should it be a right for the poor, the elderly, or the vets, and just be an unaffordable privilege for the rest of us?
I know I wouldn’t mind my tax contributions going to a nationalized health care program..I’d like see my money go to something that actually helps all American people rather than wasting it in Iraq.
Max says Americans want free health care and no one wants to pay for it…there is no such thing as “free” Max, never has been. Those of us who work pay for healthcare for the poor, the elderly, the vets…maybe it’s time that those of us who pay for everyone else get a piece of the pie, also.
I’m not missing the point TDT.
Your solution to the problem of this topic is what exactly?
You would either heavily regulate insurance companies OR nationalize healthcare.
You also want premium health care services that are “affordable”.
Ok, maybe not free, just “affordable.”
The problem is you want your Rib-eye steak for the price of Hamburger, and you want the Government (ie. taxpayers) to subsidize the difference in cost.
The money tree isn’t there, the Government is already broke, yet you want the taxpayers to pay more.
“Max” –
When you write, “The money tree isn’t there, the Government is already broke, yet you want the taxpayers to pay more,” you demonstrate just how badly you don’t get it.
Everyone is paying for healthcare now. Every American taxpayer is paying out the nose, just not in taxes. You’re paying for corporate jets flying for-profit insurance executives to Aspen on ski trips and you’re paying ad agencies for pharmaceutical commercials and you’re paying for Dr. Galichia’s Ferraris.
Nobody new is gonna go out and get breast cancer simply because the money all of us spend on healthcare is administered in a Medicare-type program rather than for-profit corporate fatcats skimming 30% off the top before any money trickles down to real healthcare for those who need it.
Sickness and health are not market-driven economies.