Study Confirming Disparity In Breast Cancer Treatment Published In ‘Cancer’

Cancer, the peer-reviewed international journal of the American Cancer Society, has published a study conducted by HealthCore, Inc. in its Jan. 1 edition, demonstrating disparities in breast cancer treatment between commercially insured African-American and white women…

Breast Cancer Patient Battles Insurer; Recession Burdens Charity Clinics

News outlets report on a patient’s struggle to get coverage for cancer treatment and over-burdened charity clinics. The New York Times has a ‘Neediest Cases’ series profile. “Rashidam Shakirova moved from Atlanta to New York in 2008 so she could earn more as a home health-care aide – $9 an hour instead of $7…

Final Health Reform Bill Likely To Cover More Frequent Mammograms Than USPSTF Recommends

Under pressure from doctors, some women’s groups and imaging equipment makers, lawmakers are likely to require coverage for more mammograms in health reform legislation than is currently recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Wall Street Journal reports…

Detroit Paper Explores Pain Of Facing Breast Cancer Without Insurance

A woman with a $7,000 annual income and $67 in the bank was diagnosed with breast cancer, leading to a week of phone calls from her surgeon to state, federal and hospital officials before a charitable agreement was struck with a medical center, the Detroit Free Press reports…

Detroit Paper Explores Pain Of Facing Breast Cancer Without Insurance

A woman with a $7,000 annual income and $67 in the bank was diagnosed with breast cancer, leading to a week of phone calls from her surgeon to state, federal and hospital officials before a charitable agreement was struck with a medical center, the Detroit Free Press reports…

California Plan To Scale Back No-Cost Breast Cancer Screening Programs Draws Criticism

California lawmakers and women’s health advocates this week expressed concern and anger about a change in policy scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2010 — that would make some low-income women younger than age 50 ineligible for no-cost breast cancer screenings, the Sacramento Bee reports…

States Drop No-Cost Cancer Screenings Due To Budget Woes, Study Finds

Low-income women in at least 20 states no longer have adequate or convenient access to cancer screening services, including mammograms and Pap tests, as a result of the economic recession and diminished levels of health coverage, according to a recent study by the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network, the AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports…

Administration Seeks To Distance Reform Effort From Cancer Screening Fallout

As the intense debate continues over new cancer test guidelines, the Obama administration is trying to protect health care reform from the controversy’s fallout. The

Tempest Over New Mammography Guidelines Affect Health Legislation, Insurance Coverage

Newspapers across the country featured front-page follow-up stories on new mammogram recommendations today.The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force — “which recommended that women in their 40s should no longer get annual mammograms to screen for breast cancer — sparked an outcry from those who say that the federal government is more interested in saving money than in improving women’s health, even though the panel did not consider costs in its analysis,” the

First Lady Stresses Importance Of Health Reform To Women At White House Breast Cancer Event

First lady Michelle Obama framed health care reform as a women’s issue at a breast cancer event on Friday, “marking the third time in recent weeks she has weighed in on the health debate so directly,” Politico reports. Obama was joined by several House members, breast cancer survivors and advocates at the White House event.