My friend's 95 yr old grandmother beat breast cancer at age 36. She found a new lump and was just told she was to have a mastectomy as an outpatient. She is 95! How can this be? She needs to stay at least for the night I would think. Is there anyone fighting this trend of making this an outpatient surgery, and how can I find out more about fighting it?
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Q: 95 yr old woman was just told she needs to have mastectomy as outpatient! How is this possible? 95!?
Answers (3)
7/24/08 9:12am
Hi - Aside from the fact I would really question putting a 95-year-old through a mastectomy, rather than radiation...
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.
Want to be part of the final effort to get this critical bill passed? Sign the petition at Lifetime. Let’s make this happen.
7/24/08 4:35am
I just watched a documentary on a woman's journey thru breast cancer treatment. She was very critical of the fact that mastectomy is treated which such little understanding. She was due to be released after only one day in the hospital and only due to a reaction to pain meds was her stay extended. According to her, the one day mastectomy is the norm for insurance companies. She was highly critical of the practice.
I believe that insurance companies have decided to push more of the recovery responsibility onto the patient and their caregivers, assuming they even have support. I was once sent home while still vomiting from the anesthesia/surgery but the outpatient center had no choice as I had been in their care for just under the 24 hr limit. I was sick but not sick enough for hospital admittance.
So, how is this possible? Because we the public ALLOW it to happen. Insurance companies only do it because they are allowed to do it under current guidelines. Fight it? Ever try spitting in the wind?
7/24/08 12:15pm
Aside from the Lifetime Petition PJ spoke of, I know that policies vary by company. When I had my 1st mastectomy in Mar 2005 I stayed 2 nights, my 2nd in June 2007 I stayed one night. I would think at 95 her doctor can request an overnight stay, as well as home health care in which they come to your house to change bandages. Regardless though, they cannot send a patient home if there are complications or if the patient is in pain or unable to move.
Personally I don't think someone that is 95 should have to go through such a procedure, Are they positive that a lumpectomy or just going straight to the treatment phase wouldn't work? I don't see how they honestly think that putting her through such a painful procedure would be best for her.
Maybe a second opinion is in order?
Hoping the best for you!
Angi
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By ddurlach— Last Modified: 12/24/10, First Published: 07/23/08
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