Stupid Politics...

"The U.S. Senate votes on a bill this week that would allow health plans to offer stripped-down insurance coverage. The proposal, which has the support of many business groups, is intended to make insurance more affordable. But the American Cancer Society and AARP Minnesota strongly oppose the measure, saying the bill undermines important cancer screening requirements, while giving employers an incentive to dump older workers who cost more to insure." You can read more of the article HERE It's called Senate Bill 1955, dubbed the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act of 2006, or the "Enzi Bill."

What Asshat (aka Enzi/Byrd) in Washington thought that this was a good idea?

What kind of prick proposes that screens for a BIG killer of women in the US are not something that should be covered, in order to save a few bucks for businesses... How many women will be able to use their insurance coverage for the treatment of breast cancer- if they can't get the coverage to be screened for it, and catch it early enough for less invasive treatment? Most women who die of breast cancer do so because they don't find it early enough.

I also heard tell in the same news story (on AFN) that another dump for the money saving plan is children's physical wellness exams... good, so now we will have kids that will invariably go without exams, as their parents won't be ale to afford to take them in... I personally think that will lead to many kids not being immunized also- as most kids get their shots from their pediatrician.

I can almost guarantee that it was the idea of some stupid fucking MAN... I say save the mammograms and children's check-ups, and dump the finger-up-your-ass-turn-your-head-and-cough exam instead. No, you say? Of course not- let's not let the majority of asshats go without their prostate exams, right? Those exams are covered under the same mandates as mammograms...

While I am sure the Senate doesn't intend for this to cut pre-screenings, and expects many things to stay the same, being mandated by the states- the money driven insurance companies will take it as a go, to deny ever more claims and pre-auths, and stick the ultimate loser- the patient- with the bills. How? By putting their dogs on the states to change the mandates... "Opponents, including state Attorney General Darrell McGraw and the American Cancer Society, said the bill would allow insurance companies to get around current state mandates requiring insurers to pay for certain types of health care." By back dooring it... they will not be exactly encouraging about mammograms/diabetic screening/mental health/wellness exams... I am so pissed off at this point, I have to stop writing now... but look into it- write or call your senator, and find out what they are doing about it.