Poor Being Turned Away From Free Cancer Screenings.

[elleng]

As the economy falters and more people go without health insurance, low-income women in at least 20 states are being turned away or put on long waiting lists for free cancer screenings, according to the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network.

In the unofficial survey of programs for July 2008 through April 2009, the organization found that state budget strains are forcing some programs to reject people who would otherwise qualify for free mammograms and Pap smears. Just how many are turned away isn't known; in some cases, the women are screened through other programs or referred to different providers.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/12/health/AP-US-Cancer-Screening.html?_r=1

[waiting for hope]

1. I was rec number 16 ...

Sorry to see that this story is too sad to comment on for some. Without a public option, what is to keep the Health Insurance cabal from doing the same for those with the means to purchase their plans?

[jbnow]

2. What is sadder than not getting screened if you are uninsured

is finding out you do have cancer and then not being able to afford any treatment.
The article doesn't talk about the few programs that use to help with that.
I remember the 60 minutes piece on the only cancer center that treated the uninsured Nevada cancer patients being closed for budget reasons.
One doctor, who treated gynecological cancers, couldn't desert his patients so treated them on his own although I don't know if he would take new patients. Still, thank God for him.

The other patients now had nothing except growing cancer. They showed a single mother with advanced breast cancer....whose leased hospital bed was being taken away because clinic wasn't paying anymore. I think that was last year? It seemed shocking they made that one of the cuts. I wondered what things they kept that were all more important.

Can't imagine knowing you have cancer...and no one will help you.

[nashville_brook]

4. apparently, if there's not a personality conflict involved, then it's not exciting enough...

maybe if the subject line said "Kucinich bemoans lack of cancer screenings for poor," then the discussion would light up with all sorts of replies, flamewars and maybe even a TS or two.

it's like the real stuff doesn't exist anymore. all that's left is the fighting.

[winyanstaz]

3. If I ever get cancer I shall use Issiac's Tea.

Sometimes it is known as Native Legands Tea. You can look it up on the internet and find out about it.
Two people I know have used it with great success so far.

[northernlights]

5. it's called Essiac nt

[winyanstaz]

6. oops thanks :) I am always speeling that one wrong for some reason :)