Obamacare to cover breast cancer prevention drugs [View all]

[babylonsister]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/09/1268351/-Obamacare-to-cover-breast-cancer-prevention-nbsp-drugs#


Thu Jan 09, 2014 at 08:44 AM PST
Obamacare to cover breast cancer prevention drugs

by Joan McCarter

There the White House goes again, you can hear the GOP say, pandering to the lady parts.


WASHINGTON -- Certain medications that are intended to prevent breast cancer will be fully covered under Obamacare, in new guidance set to be issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Thursday morning.

Women at increased risk of breast cancer can receive so-called chemoprevention drugs, including tamoxifen and raloxifene, without a co-pay or other out-of-pocket expense.

Snark aside, this is an important addition to the range of preventive services provided under the new law, added on the recommendation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. That's the independent group of physicians and academics created to provide recommendations on what preventive services will be most critical to provide. That includes cancer screenings for men and women, vision screening for children, etc. These things aren't just critical to protecting people's health, they're key to controlling heatlh care costs. Prevention is always cheaper than cancer treatment.

So providing critical preventive care and saving money? Republicans hate that.