Education program highlights the opportunity of combining breast reconstruction with mastectomy
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A new federal government program that will educate women about their options when having mastectomy is just launched. According a federal law of 1998 women that undergo mastectomy and are covered by insurance are also covered for breast reconstruction and this is not known to most of the women that opt for mastectomy. Its found that more than 4 in 5 women don’t opt for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. This is a very serious issue because a breast reconstruction after mastectomy can improve the appearance and symmetry of the two breasts.
Why this happens? Its because either the patient is not informed about this opportunity or because the patient wasn’t referred to a reconstructive surgeon. Having located this issue now federal government tries to fix it. . So this education program started by the secretary of Health and Human Services focuses on the education of breast cancer patients about the opportunity of combining covered breast reconstruction with mastectomy.
Of course a few other reasons may influence a women to make them not opt for breast reconstruction. For example breast reconstruction usually requires an extra surgery.. but the purpose of this program is to inform woman so as to be on her own will to choose if she will undergo or not undergo a breast reconstruction. Another important aspect is that breast reconstruction may be opted for much later, up to 10 years after the mastectomy is carried out, if the patient is still covered. So the very reason of this informational program is to educate all women about their rights regarding this serious issue of breast cancer.
