Stop 'Drive-Thru' Mastectomies

[ubiquirk]

'Drive-Thru' Mastectomies are when a woman is made to leave the hospital within hours of having a breast removed via surgery.  They are still dazed with pain meds, have shunts in the incisions, etc and are expected to go home and take care of themselves because insurance refuses to pay for hospital care.  [This doesn't even touch on the

Comments

[ubiquirk]

Having insurance run by big business is about the worst thing ever. We say we have this incredible health-care system, but it's only for the rich. Grrrrrrrrr.

And of course they won't tell you about the fact that most reconstruction is covered by insurance, BY LAW!

See, I didn't know that, and you're right - how many people do?

[ubiquirk]

It's great to hear that he does the breast reconstruction and cleft palate repair though. I've heard that most of the best surgeons just go right for the money of the purely cosmetic procedures.

[tudorpot]

Here in Ontario woman are sent home the same day- but we have home care. An RN visits the woman at home that night and daily until the drains are removed. If they have reconstruction at the same time they stay overnight due to the longer anesthetic. Most women are quite happy with this as it gets them back with their family. To be quite honest- hospitals are not what they used to be, food is bad, risk of infection rises each day you are there, nurses are overworked, and in many US hospitals- technicians provide much of the care, very few nurses. I know I'd rather be at home with home care. Of course I don't know what sort of home are is available with US insurers.

[ubiquirk]

That sounds truly lovely, but there's not a home-care system like that here (unless you're in your last week's of life or pay out-of-pocket), which is why this is important.

[tudorpot]

There are home care nurses in the US. To my mind it would be far better to lobby for mandated home care nurses than hospital stay. Costs would be less, and as it is the practice in other developed countries you have data on outcomes etc.

[ubiquirk]

Yes, they exist. But they're not so built into our cultural makeup and tend to be only for the rich. I'm sure it's a better system, esp for non-rural areas, but it's not one that's happening here.

The Bill we have is what we have to work with. I'm just happy it's already through half of Congress.

[laiksmarei]

it never ceases to amaze me how our society allows for profit businesses to dictate something so precious as personable well being.

[ubiquirk]

I know. The whole health insurance run as a for-profit venture is one of the worst ideas ever. [Thanks, Tricky Dicky.]