Healthcare and Cancer

 One of the hardest things about conversations about healthcare is experiences I have had. I worked at the American Cancer Society at a time when the Affordable Care Act was not in place. Too many times we were on the receiving end of people diagnosed without the ability to pay. If their insurance switched, cancer was listed as a pre-existing condition that was therefore, not covered.  It was so depressing to hear some of these stories, in particular children and young Americans who would not have a chance to live out their lives. 

The estimates of cancer treatment vary but usually are in the vicinity of $150,000. Who has that kind of money around? Over about 25% of those without insurance died from cancer during that time.  Do the math; that is a heck of a lot of Americans. Do we really want to be a country that lets people die of treatable diseases? 

I do agree there need to be some major modifications to the current plan. For e.g. my husband, after working since he was 14 and retiring around 65, could not afford the premium on the plan. I understand giving breaks to low income folks but someone who has worked and paid into healthcare and taxes his entire life (and a former vet) should have the option of being able to reasonably  pay for affordable healthcare under the Affordable Health Care Act.

Here is a number to look at and consider. If you have nausea from chemo, which most patients do, the preferred drug to take for treating it (and now even used for flu) is Zofran. Even less cost is the generic ondansetron. You can buy 30 entire pills for just $1,210.32.   Can you afford it and if so, can you look the other way to those who can’t?