NY Times : American Cancer Society focuses on inadequate health coverage, access

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/31/us/31cancer.html

excerpts :

"I believe, if we don’t fix the health care system, that lack of access will
be a bigger cancer killer than tobacco. The ultimate control of cancer is as
much a public policy issue as it is a medical and scientific issue."

"JOHN R. SEFFRIN, of the American Cancer Society, which plans to devote its
entire advertising budget this year to the consequences of inadequate health
coverage."

"Census figures released this week show that the number and percentage of
people in the United States without health insurance rose last year, to 47
million and 15.8 percent. A 2003 study estimated that one of every 10 cancer
patients was uninsured.

Other surveys have found that one of every four families afflicted by
cancer, which is projected to kill 560,000 Americans this year, is
effectively impoverished by the fight, including one of every five with
insurance."

Uncle Sally

Uncle Sally wrote:
> Other surveys have found that one of every four families afflicted by
> cancer, which is projected to kill 560,000 Americans this year, is
> effectively impoverished by the fight, including one of every five
> with insurance.

I can certainly believe this when you consider how high the
out of pocket expenses have gotten even when you have
insurance. When you are getting lots of diagnostic tests
run every year for several years, the money that you have
to spend gets to be a lot because of deductibles and
co-payments.