| Healthcare reform has now become entangled in | | | | should individuals decide to have a mammography |
| the latest controversy over whether affordable | | | | done, that insurance would no longer cover the |
| healthcare for all translates to healthcare rationing. | | | | procedure. |
| This week, the U.S. Preventive Services Task | | | | According to the USPSTF, the advice of the Task |
| Force (USPSTF) issued its latest recommendations | | | | Force is not official or meant as Public Health |
| on screening for breast cancer, published in the | | | | Service guidelines or the basis for the U.S. |
| November 17 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. | | | | Department of Health and Human Services. |
| New guidelines advise routine mammography | | | | Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and |
| screening for women starting at age 50 and | | | | human services, confirmed this. |
| repeated every two years until the age of 74, | | | | Statements issued from this panel have not only |
| presuming there is no history of breast cancer in | | | | aided in stressing the importance of prevention in |
| themselves or family. | | | | health care, but also have formed the foundation |
| No longer is the advisory panel recommending | | | | of the clinical standards for many professional |
| routine screening for women between the ages | | | | societies, medical organizations and quality review |
| of 40-49. | | | | groups. |
| According to the U.S. Census Bureau's Population | | | | Indeed, the White House insists that Task Force |
| Division, its figures which were released on 5/14 | | | | recommendations have no immediate bearing. |
| 09 reflects 10,761,793 women in this country | | | | Insurance companies contacted by USA TODAY |
| between the ages of 40 and 44 with another | | | | denied that annual mammograms would not be |
| 11,565,799 women between 45 and 49. So we | | | | reimbursed and that despite new guidelines, will |
| are affecting quite a number of people. | | | | continue to cover the test for their insured. |
| The most startling is that the task force | | | | Susan Pisano, a spokeswoman for America's |
| dissuades physicians from teaching women to do | | | | Health Insurance Plans, which include 1,300 |
| breast self-examinations because " it leads to | | | | companies, protecting 200 million Americans, |
| worry and stress". | | | | stated that insurance plans have not proposed |
| This is a drastic 180-degree turn from 2002 when | | | | amending the coverage. |
| the Task Force suggested mammography is | | | | Representatives of the Society of Breast Imaging |
| performed every one to two years on women | | | | and the American College of Radiology also |
| over 40 years. It is also in direct contradiction to | | | | expressed concern that the new |
| guidelines issued from the American Cancer | | | | recommendations appeared to be issued for |
| Society. | | | | cost-saving measures. |
| In the last several years, media along with the | | | | Both the American Cancer Society and the |
| healthcare system had been very successful in | | | | American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| promoting this message along with instruction on | | | | are still advising annual screenings beginning at age |
| breast self-examinations with accompanying | | | | 40. |
| instructional literature and illustrated brochures. | | | | Yet despite protestations to the contrary, the |
| Women are up in arms that with the government | | | | National Cancer Institute stated that it would |
| trying to reduce healthcare spending, that this | | | | include the new recommendations to physicians |
| step represents rationing of healthcare and that | | | | and the public at large. |