October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Top Insurance Lawyer Frank N. Darras Says, “No Matter Where You Live, Make Sure You Have Solid Insurance Coverage”
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, aside from non-melanoma skin cancer. It is also one of the leading causes of cancer death among women of all races and Hispanic origin populations. Unfortunately, despite medical advances, one out of every eight women will contract breast cancer. Thankfully, fatalities have been reduced to one out of 28 women who contract the disease. “It’s important to make sure you have sound health insurance just in case you are diagnosed with breast cancer,” says Frank N. Darras, the top insurance lawyer in America . “Searching for solid health coverage is a must and make sure your policy covers preventative medicine like regular mammograms and clinical breast exams.”
Whether women live in California, Texas, Colorado or Florida, breast cancer does not discriminate geographically. When a woman develops breast cancer, the cancerous cells invade healthy tissue and can spread throughout the body. This abnormal growth is called a tumor. Some tumors are malignant and some are benign. Surprisingly, men and women of every age are susceptible to breast cancer. Early detection is important because timely treatment can help prevent spreading of this disease.
Protection suggestions:
- Monthly self-breast exams
- Annual mammograms and clinical breast exams for women over 40
- Clinical exams every three years for women under 40 – although, if you have a history of breast cancer in your family, you may want to do this annually as well as start mammograms earlier
Unfortunately, there are some things that are out of our control:
- Family history of breast cancer
- Starting menstruation before age 12
- Starting menopause after age 50
- Caucasians are more susceptible to this disease
- Some lifestyle choices make increase your risk:
- If you never have children
- If you have children after age 30
- If you don’t breastfeed
Since breast cancer is so prevalent in women, your health insurance policy should at the very least, cover all office appointments, chemotherapy, mastectomy, and reconstructive procedures. In 1998, Congress signed the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) to protect all breast cancer patients who elect to have reconstruction after a mastectomy, says Darras.
Under WHCRA, group health plans, insurance companies and HMOs who offer mastectomy coverage must also provide coverage for certain services relating to the mastectomy. All the more reason why women should make sure their insurance policies are rock solid, to safeguard against the financial demands of this deadly killer. “You just never know and the last thing you need when fighting this dreadful disease, is to worry about paying for the help you need to win the battle,” warns Darras.