Hi Dr Deb - Thanks for the straight-forward look at what's often been a confusing and misleading dialogue. As a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed in my 30's I find the recent guidelines to be appalling.
One point I wanted to add to yours is that we may have to start thinking differently and make more decisions on the basis of what's best for our health, not what an insurance company will or will not pay for. We may also need to become more informed about our options in fighting an insurance company decision we believe is wrong. It's also becoming more important than ever for patients and physicians to partner together to determine the appropriate course of action and then follow through. Early detection not only saves lives, it also enables women to avoid a wide range of costs, problems and treatments. If you have breast cancer, the value of an early diagnosis is priceless, and worth far more than the dollars that may be charged for any procedure.
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Hi Dr Deb - Thanks for the straight-forward look at what's often been a confusing and misleading dialogue. As a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed in my 30's I find the recent guidelines to be appalling.
One point I wanted to add to yours is that we may have to start thinking differently and make more decisions on the basis of what's best for our health, not what an insurance company will or will not pay for. We may also need to become more informed about our options in fighting an insurance company decision we believe is wrong. It's also becoming more important than ever for patients and physicians to partner together to determine the appropriate course of action and then follow through. Early detection not only saves lives, it also enables women to avoid a wide range of costs, problems and treatments. If you have breast cancer, the value of an early diagnosis is priceless, and worth far more than the dollars that may be charged for any procedure.
Thanks for writing,
November 24, 2009 - 5:37pmPat
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