prostrate cancer treatment cut for the poor - one man dead already - Calif

[donsu]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/ca/budget/story/8191113p-9122383c.html

Prostate patients on wait list

Dr. Mark Litwin got the call from California health officials the day after Christmas: Money covering prostate cancer treatment for low-income men had been slashed from the state budget. Litwin, a UCLA urologist who coordinates the statewide treatment program, said he was told to stop enrolling new patients immediately.
On Dec. 27, the program began turning away uninsured men who had been diagnosed with cancer, placing them on a waiting list instead. This week, Raoul Campos, a patient on the list, died of prostate cancer, Litwin said.

-snip-

The cuts were enacted under new authority the Legislature granted the governor last year to make budget reductions without lawmakers' approval. Lawmakers authorized the governor to reduce general fund spending by $1.1 billion by cutting staff and operations.

The Department of Health Services, which uses some of the funds in its personnel and operations account to pay for some contracts, elected to cut contracts for the prostate cancer program and research on birth defects, cancer, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.

-snip-

Among them is John Hood, 57, of Sacramento, a self-described "old biker guy" and recovering alcoholic who cares for his 87-year-old mother. Hood, whose cancer has metastasized, said he depends on regular hormone shots to keep him alive.

"When I was diagnosed with this, literally my prayer was, 'Lord, just keep me alive long enough to see my mom through, and then we can go,' " Hood said. "The IMPACT program literally saved my life."
-snip-
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Californians are just loving their man Arnold (who terminates life)

[Kanary]

1. Yet we can't have single-payer health care

Because there would be" long waiting lines" for treatment...

I think I"m beginning to "get it"

Kanary

[ArkDem]

2. There isn't a word in the article about colon cancer.

.

[donsu]

4. you are right

it said prostrate cancer

thanks

apparently my brain did a shuffle :)

[ArkDem]

6. You have to watch out for the

headline police:hi:

[redqueen]

3. Fiscal discipline is important.

Get used to this.

[DuctapeFatwa]

5. Patients are empowered to make their own health care choices!

Every American has the freedom to purchase all the health care they can afford!

[havocmom]

7. Yep, we have choices

We can choose to a productive member of the work force, showing up every day, or we can choose to be a productive con$umer of medical good$.

If we can't make it to work or pay the ransom the mega medicine business demands, we can choose a painful downward spiral til we die. Should we choose a dignified sucide, we find that choice is not available as the society has such great reverance for life {Yeah, riiiight}