Male breast cancer sufferer denied medicaid.

Recently a 26 year old man who is suffering from breast cancer, has been denied medicaid because he is not a women.

The man cannot afford insurance and has already racked up massive medical bills for the treatments he has received. According to this article, this is not uncommon. Due to the language of medicaid, only women can be covered for breast cancer.

I think this is a result of a big problem, and that is the misinterpretation of policies and documents which are presented by congress, and academics in their respected fields. Due to a simple error in language this man could very well die, or at least be in life long debt.

Does anyone here on ATS have an opinion on how to stop something like this from happening in the future.

(If I could...please refrain from the "get rid of medicaid" solution. That's not what this thread is about. It is about the language of documents and the adverse affect of their misinterpretation.)

how do we stop something like this from happening again? actually it's both easy and at the moment, impossible. what we need is a "public option". it was part of the President's original affordable healthcare act but the GOP members in Congress did everything to kill it. (remember those fuel filled town meetings a few summers ago when the tea baggers emerged jumping up & down like lunatics) if America ever realizes the GOP has no concern for them as a people, then and only then things will change. as long as the GOP wields any kind of power middle and lower class America will continue to suffer. follow the progressive caucus of the Democratic party, they tend to treat everyone as equals. what this man is dealing with is tragic and a perfect example of what is wrong with the state of health care in the US of A.

reply to post by LooksLikeWeMadeIt


While I agree the GOP does attempt to sabotage/alter any type of plan or policy (either good or bad) by the democratic party. I believe it has little to do with this issue.

Both parties have failed to address the issue of the language of their documents. IMO it seems when medicaid was created, it was meant to cover all cancers for all eligible recipients, no where in the document does it say a man will not be covered if he has breast cancer. But it also does not say that they can be covered for a predominantly female disease.

So in the end it comes to elected officials to clarify what they meant. Which they do not do. They seem to want the courts to decide this, in the meantime people are dieing from a simple sentence that was either not added, or misinterpreted.

I was 29 when diagnosed with lymphoma. I had a part time job with no health insurance, and I was also denied assistance. I was told it was because I made too much money, which after I looked at there cut off policy I was indeed over it. I was over by about $1000 annually. Because of this I now have six figure debt from the chemotherapy, radiation, and other medical bills. I am in remission now but still have lingering health issues that are effecting my quality of life. I can't get these issues treated because I owe so many medical places money and since there not life threatening at the moment. I have no idea how I will ever pay this back so I can once again get some kind of medical treatment past going to the emergency room.

I had to live virtually destitute for 3yrs after all savings were gone and the wife's health began to fail from trying to carry the whole family and she lost her job, with a 6yr old strep infection in the capsule of my ruptured Achilles to get ANY aid because I fell from a upper middle income between the original injury and subsequent financial losses in 07-08 due to my lack of income since 05. It took me three yrs of BS to finally get what I have paid into for 35yrs but only after I began complaining of a head injury over the wound which was killing me. I got whacked with an unopened 22oz beer during a home invasion attempt and only got help when I said it was causing me rage and uncontrolled anger. I am now healing from getting the repair on my foot and hope tobe able to return to work again but am also realistic about a 53 yr old with health issues being top choice in this market I do know one thing though those who think it is gravy are pretty screwed up and those who think the average joe who uses assistance has the life of a welfare queen I say squew you! This is not even existence and as soon as I can find my way out I am gone from the lie I was sold as they took my money.
I am a giving decent guy and have not a bit of problem chipping in to help folks who end up in my shoes. Problem I have seen is they hold back till it is too late to help the average guy with no safety net and only steep in after he is broken. If this all worked right it would not let folks fall at all without some sort of leg up out of a medical hole before they become dependent on the state for help across the board.
If I could have gotten medical help after the repair I paid most of my savings for broke I would still have a thriving home technology business that paid taxes and some times hired a crew or two. Also if I could have gotten health insurance for less than two mid sized mortgages I would have had it except preexisting conditions screw that pooch. So yeah the system is so far beyond broken it is destined to fail and too many people it was made for in the first place are being screwed by technicalities. It is how the country seems to work in general nowadays and it means doom for the system as it stands and leaves us vulnerable to the vast hordes of cash in corporate hands the ones I have to assume are holding the debt the world is in.
seed

There's always a silver lining... At least he had medical insurance to be denied. And if he pays cash within 30 days, he stands a good chance at receiving huge discounts off billing typically reserved for insurance companies.

reply to post by wiandiii


Thanks for your story. I'm really sorry for your troubles and I hope you have many many healthy days in the future.

I was over by about $1000 annually

Despite being over, were you able to get any assistance at all? Or was it all out of pocket?

I think people don't realize that when sudden illness (like in your case) or injury occurs to someone and they don't have insurance, they are screwed. And what happens if that person cannot work after their treatments? My Dad who had insurance was nearly bed ridden after he had back surgery, he was unable to work and even though his medical was covered there was no income coming into the house. This affected my family considerably.

A six figure debt like you describe would take years to repay. And debt is a killer. It is draining physically, and emotionally. Debt is the perfect way to make slaves.

reply to post by Openeye


You know, I get so dang angry when hear stories like these. It is deplorable.

We have a westernized country that is the most backwards of them all. It's just like veteran's. We were told we would have free medical care for life for our service. Now we pay for medications and doctor visits. I don't because I am 100%. But others without legs and arms not deemed 100% have to pay co-pays.

It is utterly disgusting to hear these testimonies and equally disgusting that we spend 40% of our budget on WAR!

We need a better health care system (as everyone will mostly agree), but I don't have any advice for your friend. The only thing we can rely on is the good will of other people at this time.

Health care in this country is laughable and most incompetent of all westernized societies.

So sorry for your friend. Best regards.

reply to post by Openeye


I was able to get assistance for some of the prescriptions thru programs from the drug manufacturer. Other than that it was all out of pocket.

Good info! I was doing some search and i happen to come across your page. Just thought i should share to you guys the latest news about this topic since we are talking about the same dilemma. While not as widespread in males, it is a healthcare fact that men can get breast cancer. While male breast tissue isn't quite as complex and customized as female mammary glands, malignant tumors can still grow in the breast and then metastasize in various parts of the male body. That doesn't make things any simpler for Raymond Johnson, 26. He has breast cancer, and Medicaid has declined protection.

Article Source: S.C. man denied breast cancer coverage by Medicaid

I couldn't believe that these medic people wouldn't cover his illness just because he's a man! He's got breast cancer for crying out loud! People nowadays can be so sexist. Breast Cancer is a serious issue indeed. I've met people with such condition and it's really hard for them to cope. The important thing is that we should be aware of this, and we should help each other in any way possible. We should all be willing to help, each of us should fight for a cause, men and women alike.

reply to post by Openeye


This doesn't surprise me in the least. Men's lives are considered less important than those of women, even expendable depending on the circumstances. Just add it to the list of statutory discriminations faced by men in western society.