Hospital Stays for Mastectomies - Bill in Congress

There's a particular email message that has come across my inbox more than a few times. The first time I saw it was over a year ago, and I immediately signed the petition it was advocating, not knowing that in the not-too-distant future, it would be something that might have an impact on my life.

I'm sure you've seen it too:

Mastectomy Hospital Bill in Congress

If you know anyone who has had a mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

Mastectomy Bill in Congress

It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important...please take the time and do it really quick!

Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill - Important legislation for all women.

Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. If you're receiving this, it's because I think you will take the 30 seconds to go to vote on this issue and send it on to others you know who will do the same.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home just a! few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on.

PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.

http://www.lifetimetv.com/health/breast_mastectomy_pledge.html

While a petition is all well and good, I strongly urge you to contact your Representative directly (phone, fax, email or letter) if you'd like to see this bill passed. This lets your Representative know how his or her constituents feel on this particular issue so that he or she can argue for it on your behalf. If you are not sure who your representative is, click on this link and enter your zip code (+4).

As you may have read in a previous blog entry, this bill does directly impact me. Unfortunately, it's too late for me, but it doesn't have to be for other women. If it weren't for the implant expander that they are inserting the same day as my mastectomy, I would be sent home the same day as my surgery. As it is, I will be going home with the drainage bags... which I will have to care for myself. Isn't it enough that I'm basically having my breasts amputated? Do I actually have to nurse myself too? I was terrified when I learned that my surgery was planned as outpatient surgery. Much to my relief, they always keep you at least overnight when there is any kind of reconstruction involved... at least my doctor does.

I looked up the information on this bill. It was introduced into Congress in April 2005 by Sue Kelly, a New York Congresswoman. The last action taken on the bill was in October 2005 when introductory remarks were made.

Please, I urge you to contact your Representative and ask them to defend this bill.

Updated 8/2/06:
My friend Becky posted some additional information about this in the comments, but I wanted to make sure everyone sees it, so I'm adding it here:

If you wish to contact your representatives about this bill, it will probably help to refer to current bill, the "Breast Cancer Patient Protect Act of 2005". In the House this bill is H.R.1849, in the Senate it is S.910. Unfortunately, this bill has been introduced a number of times over the years and each time Congress has shunted it into committee and let it die. The best way to get the bill introduced onto the floor is to push your individual Congresspeople and Senators to do so.

Thanks, Becky!