Women and those who love us..READ THIS

http://melaniesmarch.com/?page_id=21

Folks, I am calling this to your attention for three reasons:

ONE.
In '05,
186,467 women and 1,764 men were diagnosed with breast cancer.
41,116 women and 375 men died from breast cancer.
Breast cancer rates are up 40%
1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer.

TWO
This is what happens when the 1 in 8 woman does not have insurance. She dies. It is real simple. What you don't see in that number is the fact that you and I will be paying for the ineffective treatment and doctors' visits for that 1 in 8 woman to absolutely no avail. We are talking around half a million dollars or more for each of these deaths.

THREE
In all these statistics, one is missing. That is the number of bankruptcies and people reduced to poverty, even with insurance, trying to survive breast cancer. Basic, one breast removal, can cost over half a million dollars. What is the maximum on your insurance policy? Do you know?

What happens when you lose your job due to breast cancer treatment, COBRA runs out and you now have a pre-existing condition?

Even with Medicaide or Medicare, are you aware they determine what treatment you get and how much? There is a big flap that they refuse radiation treatment for what is diagnosed as non-metastasized breast cancer. Between diagnosis and operation, do you how fast that little bugger can spread? Do you know how much time it takes to get an Okay for treatment? You really might want to find out. There is no law stating either government or your private insurance company HAS to give you an answer in a fix time frame. They can take all the time they want. How much do you have?

Do you know that insurance companies regularly postpone making a decisions on treatment and that they can demand each phase of your treatment be preapproved. I know of one woman who has had expanders in her breasts for over 6 months trying to just get an answer from the insurance company on removing them for reconstruction. They are not supposed to remain in for six months! She can't have them removed until she gets an answer.

Now, I want to ask you a simple question. Do you really think ........remember 1 in 8.....one woman on your side of the block, two if you count the houses across the street in a regular neighborhood.......that a national health care option is more expensive than one million dollars per square block of every neighborhood in every state in this country? Now look at the condos and apartment buildings. How much are you paying in taxes right this moment, both national, state and local, to support a system that doesn't work.

Breast cancer is more than a possible death sentence. It is a financial death sentence. We need health care reform and we need it yesterday.


And just remember one really important fact before you think I am lying to you. Breast Cancer is Big Business! Without looking at it as a disease, multiply these numbers into money spent and profit. You are paying twice, maybe three times. Before you go bankrupt and start living on the street, half a million dollars has been made off each breast by someone and just a little hint, it isn't the doctor. It is the manufacturer of the supplies used in the treatment. I'll let you trace that one down on your own because you need learn how to follow the money. I already did.