Is anyone else angry that insurance companies classify mastectomies as OUTPATIENT procedures?
I couldn't believe that my insurance company denied my surgeon's request that my mastectomy be classified as an inpatient procedure. Fortunately for me, my surgery was scheduled for very late in the afternoon, so I did wind up staying over night. Many women are shooed out of the hospital that same day. What is the matter with insurance companies??
Hey Lanie - No kidding, it's wrong. And you can help do something about it. The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2007 would allow a woman and her doctor to decide whether she needs to remain in the hospital for at least 48 hours after either a mastectomy, or a lumpectomy; if so, insurance would have to pay for it. Read our piece on drive-through mastectomies, and click the link at the end to let Congress know you support this bill. Good luck - PJH
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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
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I totally agree with you - mastectomies should not be an outpatient procedure.
It is very sad when insurance companies care more about the dollar than the person.
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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.
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