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Cancer Support

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bmichaelh

(687 posts)
Sun Feb 4, 2024, 08:24 PM Feb 2024

ACA should be improved [View all]

This is one issue ACA did not address; that I hope to do so.
If it means universal healthcare and getting rid of insurance companies, so be it.
This is not criticism of ACA; this problem existed before then.
I remember stories on 60 minutes where insurance would refuse bone marrow transplant on a cancer patient because they deemed it 'experimental'
And a Trump presidency and Republican Congress would make matters exponentially worse.

Some 35+ years ago, I was diagnosed with lymphoma.
My first remission was for 13+ years.
It returned and my second remission was for 15+ years.

In 2017, during my second remission, Trump and Congress attempted to repeal ACA but they failed.
In 2019, lymphoma returned.
Unfortunately, when lymphoma returns, it gets more aggressive, and resistant to prior therapies.

In fall of 2019, chemotherapy and radiation in early 2020, was unsuccessful.
In fall 2020, different chemotherapy tried and failed.
In early 2021, CAR-T tired and failed.
Also in 2021, my mobility deteriorated and I required the use of a walker.
In late 2021, I tried a new treatment.
This treatment was Monjuvi and Revlimid.
Slowly my mobility improved to where I no longer needed a walker.
Initially, my health insurer approved Monjuvi but then withdrew their approval, despite the fact it was working.
My health provider appealed the decision and was successful.
In August 2022, I achieved my third remission.

Insurance companies should not be making these life and death decisions.

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ACA should be improved [View all] bmichaelh Feb 2024 OP
Even the Republican boogeyman, markodochartaigh Feb 2024 #1
So happy you are in remission. Ferrets are Cool Feb 2024 #2
Thank you and agree fully. hydrolastic Feb 2024 #3
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