America’s Affordable Health Choices Act helps breast cancer patients recuperate easily

Sep 15 2009

The Breast Cancer Survivor Coalition for Advancement, Reform and Equity (Because we Care) today praised a House of Representatives committee for adopting an amendment to the “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act” (H.R. 3200) that would remove barriers to care for breast cancer survivors.

“The committee’s amendment would help many estimated one in 12 women that will develop breast cancer in their lives to recuperate more fully, more rapidly and more easily,” said Because we Care member Chris Webb, Manager of Government Affairs and Compliance for Amoena USA Corporation. “Including this provision in the final health reform bill is a significant step forward in improving the country’s health care system on behalf of women facing breast cancer surgery.”

Under current law, Medicare will reimburse women who have had breast cancer surgery for a post-surgical camisole, which aids recuperation, only after surgery has been performed, and only during a 48-hour window. As these garments should be applied before survivors leave the hospital, many women on Medicare cannot obtain reimbursement for the post-surgical camisole before surgery, effectively depriving them of the benefits that post-surgical camisoles offer for recuperation. If the House committee amendment sponsored by U.S. Representatives Betty Sutton (D-OH), Phil Gingrey, M.D. (R-GA) and Gene Green (D-TX) is included in the legislation that the President signs into law, women that undergo breast cancer surgery, and who are Medicare patients, will be able to fill a prescription for a post-surgical camisole to aid her recovery before going to the hospital, and that prescription will be reimbursed by Medicare.

The Because we Care coalition urges breast cancer survivors, health care providers, members of the business community and other advocates to contact their U.S. Representative and urge him/her to ensure that the Sutton-Gingrey-Green amendment is included in the health reform legislation to be considered by the full House of Representatives in the near future.

http://www.becausewecarecoalition.org/