Women's Health Assignment

1. So many women, especially in this economic state, are not able to afford mammograms or even breast cancer treatments. Most healthcares do not even cover mammograms, yet they cover treatments after a woman has found out that she has breast cancer.

2. If women are aware, which some are not, of mammogram screenings it is most likely that their insurance does not cover them. “Most insurers don't cover mammography for screening, but do cover it for diagnosis, once an abnormality is suspected.” (Willis) With so many women with breast cancer you would think that these kinds of tests would be covered before any suspicion of the disease is detected.

I have a friend whose fiancé was diagnosed with breast cancer about six months ago. Before being diagnosed, she had recently graduated from law school and was excelling at a successful law firm here in Orlando. She never went to any mammogram screenings because her insurance did not cover it, and now, she is going through chemo and is forced to work just to keep her insurance to cover her treatment.

Looking from a macro level, the insurance companies are well aware of how deadly breast cancer can be, and how the cancer gets more and more common every year They are also aware of how easy it is to treat if detected early enough. Insurers should at least cover mammograms yearly for all women, which would absolutely lower the number of breast cancer victims.

3. “If the disease is detected at an earlier stage, your chance of complete cure with better cosmetic result will be greatly increased.”(Dinka) This quote right here should make it pretty clear to how health insurance companies should react to breast cancer. In my “pro-woman” healthcare plan, mammograms would be covered. Not only would the procedure be covered, but if detected with breast cancer the woman would not have to go work just to keep her insurance on top of dealing with the painful chemotherapy process.

Breast cancer has become more popular and more deadly every year, the healthcare system should realize that. The whole system itself should be redesigned around women, with breast care in particular.

4. On top of healthcare providing coverage for mammograms and treatments, I would make sure women all across the country knew of these services. “Women may be unaware that mammography screening, in addition to physical examination, is so widely recommended.” (Willis) Women in the world are not told enough how important mammogram screenings can be, which is information that could save their life.

There is already a whole month dedicated to breast cancer, which raises awareness, but still some women are unaware of the treatments that are offered. The health insurers, after providing coverage for mammograms, should be more informative to their clients and future clients. Just like flu shots are offered at local hospitals, doctor offices, and even schools, mammogram screenings should be offered as well.

Works Cited

Willis, Judith. “Why Women Don't Get Mammograms (And Why They Should)”. http://www.hoptechno.com/book55.htm. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration Office of Public Affairs

Dinka. “Breast Cancer Can Be Fully Cured if Detected at Early Stage”
http://www.huliq.com/28366/breast-cancer-can-be-fully-cured-if-detected-at-early-stage.