Bill calls for written care plans for cancer patients

A bill aimed at making the cancer patient an informed and active participant in his or her own care was introduced in Congress by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) and Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA).

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What's New

Can patients refuse medical treatment?

January 27, 2012

Trisha Torrey, About.com Patient Empowerment

A woman named Sheryl (not her real name) contacted me recently with a question that seemed rather simple on its face, and turned out to be far more complex. She is 60 years old, and has a terminal disease, for which treatment will be debilitating and possibly painful.

Medical debt puts more at risk

January 25, 2012

Lindy Washburn, NorthJersey.com

Frances Giordano found out she had lung cancer in June. After that, the bad news just kept coming. Frances Giordano, 59, of Dumont is battling lung cancer, the loss of a job due to her illness and staggering medical bills. First, she discovered that even with a good job and health insurance, her medical expenses were more than she could afford on disability.

NCCS joins national health and disability groups in support of Affordable Care Act

January 25, 2012

NCCS joined 13 other leading national health and disability organizations to submit to the Supreme Court an amicus brief supporting the minimum coverage provision of the Affordable Care Act. In the “friend of the Court” brief, NCCS and its colleagues argued that the minimum coverage provision of the law, or individual mandate, falls within the authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce and is constitutional.

Cancer Support Community launches navigating cancer cost toolkit

January 24, 2012

In a recent study conducted by the Cancer Support Community (“CSC”), a majority (72.8%) of patients surveyed experienced some degree of emotional distress from managing cancer care costs. Additionally, 64.8% reported that their health care team did not discuss financial aspects of care with them.

The high risk of high-risk pools

January 19, 2012

The Washington Post

When the health reform law’s high-risk insurance pools launched last summer, there was a lot worry that the new coverage option would be swamped by demand from uninsured individual. Then, there was worry about too little demand: The insurance pools saw anemic enrollment, with some states enrolling just a few dozen subscribers.