Previous to 1998, women with breast cancer were unable to use their health insurance to cover reconstructive procedures after mastectomy. In the late 90’s reconstructive surgeon Dr. Todd Wider and his patient Janet Franquent were two key figures in making a change by starting a crusade to change the law. In 1998 the Women’s Health & Cancer Act passed by Congress. Due to this act being passed many women are now able to have reconstructive procedures performed and covered by their health insurance. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is one of two most common cancers among American women and about 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer. The Women’s Health & Cancer Right’s Act contains protection for
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The delayed reconstruction, the surgeon performs the first stage to rebuild the breast after the chest has healed from the mastectomy. Many women are opting to have reconstruction surgery. In 1998, researchers found as many as 46% of women who had a mastectomy underwent reconstructive surgery. By 2007, 63 percent of women undergoing mastectomies were opting for the additional procedures. (Castillo, Michelle. “More women choosing breast reconstruction after mastectomy” CBS News 19 Feb, 2014). Dr. Reshma Jagsil explained, “Breast reconstruction has a big impact on quality of life for breast cancer survivors. As we are seeing more women survive breast cancer, we need to focus on long term survivorship issues and ensuring that women have access to this important part of treatment”. If you have had a mastectomy or expect to have one, you are entitled to special rights under Women’s Health & Cancer Right’s Act. This Act is also known as Janet’s Law, named after Janet Franquet who was denied for breast reconstruction surgery after her mastectomy in 1997. On October 21, 1998 this act was signed into law by Congress. It requires that all group health and insurance companies offering mastectomy coverage also must cover all required stages of breast reconstruction …show more content…
Thousands of women have shared their experiences, one being Misty Mclean-Schurbon. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37. Her oncologist suggested a double mastectomy, due to being positive with BRCA2 mutation. The doctor informed her about different types of breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Giving her pamphlets of the different types of reconstruction to read on. She was scared and wouldn’t consider those options, until a physical therapist asked her to go home and do more research on those invasive surgeries. Once she did her research, she decided to have the DIEP flap surgery. The only problem was that they did not perform that type of surgery in her area. She ended up flying to Texas. It took 2 phases to complete her surgery. The first phase was the big one, it required tissue transferred to her breast and have it survive. Diep flaps may fail to survive on many women. Several months later Misty went back to Texas to have the second phase of her reconstruction. This phase included nipple reconstruction and fat grafting for symmetry. She was extremely pleased with the overall results. Misty explained, “My breast won’t ever feel the same or look exactly the same, but they do not make me any less or more of a person, they are just part of my new normal”. All her procedures were successfully performed and covered by her insurance without any problem. There are
The delayed reconstruction, the surgeon performs the first stage to rebuild the breast after the chest has healed from the mastectomy. Many women are opting to have reconstruction surgery. In 1998, researchers found as many as 46% of women who had a mastectomy underwent reconstructive surgery. By 2007, 63 percent of women undergoing mastectomies were opting for the additional procedures. (Castillo, Michelle. “More women choosing breast reconstruction after mastectomy” CBS News 19 Feb, 2014). Dr. Reshma Jagsil explained, “Breast reconstruction has a big impact on quality of life for breast cancer survivors. As we are seeing more women survive breast cancer, we need to focus on long term survivorship issues and ensuring that women have access to this important part of treatment”. If you have had a mastectomy or expect to have one, you are entitled to special rights under Women’s Health & Cancer Right’s Act. This Act is also known as Janet’s Law, named after Janet Franquet who was denied for breast reconstruction surgery after her mastectomy in 1997. On October 21, 1998 this act was signed into law by Congress. It requires that all group health and insurance companies offering mastectomy coverage also must cover all required stages of breast reconstruction …show more content…
Thousands of women have shared their experiences, one being Misty Mclean-Schurbon. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37. Her oncologist suggested a double mastectomy, due to being positive with BRCA2 mutation. The doctor informed her about different types of breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Giving her pamphlets of the different types of reconstruction to read on. She was scared and wouldn’t consider those options, until a physical therapist asked her to go home and do more research on those invasive surgeries. Once she did her research, she decided to have the DIEP flap surgery. The only problem was that they did not perform that type of surgery in her area. She ended up flying to Texas. It took 2 phases to complete her surgery. The first phase was the big one, it required tissue transferred to her breast and have it survive. Diep flaps may fail to survive on many women. Several months later Misty went back to Texas to have the second phase of her reconstruction. This phase included nipple reconstruction and fat grafting for symmetry. She was extremely pleased with the overall results. Misty explained, “My breast won’t ever feel the same or look exactly the same, but they do not make me any less or more of a person, they are just part of my new normal”. All her procedures were successfully performed and covered by her insurance without any problem. There are