Lanie, I think that the procedure can vary from insurance to insurance.  My first mastectomy I spent 2 nights in the hospital, my 2nd mastectomy 1 night.  It also varies on how you are doing after surgery.  If you are in a lot of pain, or have other complication (such as not healing well, bleeding, or draining too much) the surgeon can keep you in there for however long it takes to get better - also your surgeon can opt for home health care, where a nurse comes to your house every other day to check on you and change bandages and such following surgery (I had it the first time cause I could not even look at the staples in my chest, let alone put bandages on it!)

As PJ mentioned there is a petition going around that you can sign.  From what I understand it is not the first of it's kind as I signed one back in 2005 as well as this new 2007 one.  It may be a constant struggle, but just as women won out on the whole extended hospital stay after childbirth I beleive we will eventually succeed with this fight as well.  So I urge you to sign and to pass the info on to every person you know!

Good luck!

Angi

In 2005 I had (as PJ puts it) a drive through lumpectomy In & out in 4 1/2hrs. I had sooo many complactions I still dont know how I did it. The staph infection was the worst. In 2008 new Dr & hospital for bi-lat mastectomy same insurance and my Doc said stay as long as I want. That was the best cause I expected the worst. Heck Im signing that form cause 2mon IV antibiodics & all the extra strong pain meds(morphine)could have been prevented if I had just been able to stay in the hospital.