This week through msnbc.com an article about a man diagnosed with breast cancer who was denied coverage by Medicaid was released. The comments below although will have some relative information regarding health insurance, is not meant to discuss or determine what is right or wrong regarding our healthcare system or lack of. This article is written to enlighten us all regarding just another stigmatism of a male diagnosed with breast cancer.
Last month, Raymond Johnson, a 26-year old South Carolina man was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Mr. Johnson worked for $9.00 an hour approximately 30 hours a week, could not afford private insurance and did not qualify for traditional Medicaid because his income was “too high”. Through the hospital, Mr. Johnson was directed to apply for assistance to The Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act. Although he met almost all of the criteria of this complex program, there was one factor that would deny him assistance, he was not a woman! In addition, two other men in the past 4 years were also denied coverage through this program because they were-men.
As Mr. Johnson stated “ I didn’t even know men could get breast cancer” and he is not alone. “I just can’t tell you how floored I was when I got that letter saying I didn’t qualify for help”, he says. “The bills are going to be huge. I have breast cancer. I really don’t see how that’s possible.”
There are men, women, medical professionals and teachers who even today are also not aware. Some of the medical staff my brother Harvey came in contact with during his diagnosis were often surprised as to why he was going through the test and treatments. Even they did not understand a male with breast cancer and at times, made him feel uncomfortable as if his diagnosis was unheard of.
Clearly our health care system needs a major overhaul. It does not appear some of our neighboring countries are doing any better right now to follow in their footsteps. In Canada, health care is cheap, but that doesn’t mean it is good. If you have a serious illness, receiving treatment is determined by your rate of survival. In the U.K. you are put on a waiting list to see a specialist and may take months or years in which many do not have this unlimited luxury of time.
Who a disease will affect is not determined by age, race, religion or gender. Insurance coverage should work the same way. It is difficult enough to receive any diagnosis of cancer but to be denied assistance because of its rarity by gender is very wrong. A man with a “woman’s” disease is already traumatized, our government doesn’t need to make it any worse.
Share this article with as many friends, relatives and professionals as you can because everyone needs to be made aware of and educated on Male Breast Cancer.
To read the original article, you can click the link below;
Modah Ani- I Am Thankful
Editor; Vicki Singer Wolf Co-Founder
No comments:
Post a Comment