To all of you that are against health care reform
Comments
-
Americans are fiercely independent up until they need something. Then they have no qualms about letting other people pay for it.
Whenever someone waxes poetic about "freedom," I mentally substitute the words "irresponsible" and "selfish." It's amazing how different the word "freedom" looks when it's associated with other people having to pick up the tab.
Not being able to afford health insurance is one thing. But not having it because you don't want to pay for it or don't want someone to tell you what to do is an entirely different matter. Reminds me of the folks who don't want to wear helmets when they ride their motorcycles. I'm good with that as long as they sign a form saying that when they have run out of money to pay for their head injuries, their families can go ahead and take them home.
-
Otter, thanks for providing both those links. It would seem that "freedom" from being forced to purchase health insurance is at the bottom of the list of reasons why some 16% of Americans do not have coverage. Rather, it's the under-employed, and those whose employers have dropped their coverage, which force folks to place greater importance on paying their mortgage or feeding their family. But if catastrophe strikes (cancer, stroke, heart attack) they'll lose that house they've struggled to pay for.
Desdemona, you wrote: As long as people have to rely on insurance companies, there's no practical way to get meaningful healthcare reform. I couldn't agree more.
Linda
-
I just want to say that this is the most meaningful discussion concerning health care that we have had on this board. Yeah!
I have just come home from work and glanced at the comments. Now I will go back and reread each one more carefully now that I see there is some really good information presented this time.
-
Americans are fiercely independent up until they need something. Then they have no qualms about letting other people pay for it.
That's just about the most hostile, nasty, disrespectful post I've seen on these boards yet. People who want handouts in this country are anything BUT fiercely independent - I'm not talking about welfare clients here. I'm talking about hard-working people who would rather die than ask for a handout.
-
Hey Desdemona:
My apologies for offending you. My comments were based on my own experiences. I don't know a single person who chose to die rather than receive free health care. I don't know a single person who allowed a family member to die rather than to receive free health care. The only exceptions being for religious reasons or because their quality of life had deteriorated badly. I have not read of a single woman on this board who has indicated she would refuse free health care. I have, however, read numerous stories full of desperation and begging for ideas on where to find free care.
So, please, fill me in. Who do you know who has died? Who do you know who has allowed a family member to die? Are there articles on the Internet that document their stories?
Please give their age, cause of death, and where they lived when they died.
I have heard about these fiercely independent Americans but haven't found one yet. The closest I've seen are apparently healthy tea baggers making these claims and people I work with who have health insurance but are concerned that government-run health care would be worse than what they currently have. So, no, I don't know these folks. Nor have I seen any newspaper articles nor have I seen any shows on Fox News or Dateline. I would think the news media would love to tell the stories of how these people died for their beliefs.
Please share with us. I look forward to learning from you.
-
Come on folks. This was actually starting to look like a good, rational, non-partisan discussion about the options that the U.S. now faces with regard to healthcare reform. It would be nice if that discussion could keep going, rather than deteriorate, as all the other healthcare threads have, into name-calling and she said/she said arguments.
-
Well let me tell you what I've seen. I've seen this country going from a place where people were able to pay their own medical bills because the bills were more reasonable at one time in the past. I've seen a medical system where you were allowed to go on a payment plan instead of having to cough the whole shebang up front or lump it. I've seen people who don't do ANYTHING to to help themselves or others or work a day in their lives get medicaid carte blanche while hard-working, productive members of society are left out in the cold if they get too sick to work. You have to be out of work due to illness for five months to get Social Security and medical assistance if you've worked and put money into the system, but if you've never worked or you've worked very little - Bingo! You get SSI and medicaid, which covers all medical bills with no out of pocket expenses. I've seen elderly people (my grandmother) who had to forego medical care even though they were on Social Security because medicare wouldn't pay for all of it while their counterparts on SSI were able to get everything taken care of, no worries. This happened to my grandmother and when it happened there was no such thing as supplemental medicare insurance. Even if it had been available, she couldn't have afforded the insurance because she was living on a pittance and she was ninety years old. Nobody offered her a handout, that's for doggone sure.
As for my "sources": I was a welfare worker for over 10 years in both Texas and Louisiana. I was a homeless battered woman living in a shelter with a 6 month old and a 3 year year old.
Your insinuation that I am a "teabagger" is pretty hilarious on several levels, one of which I am a moderate Democrat. I am in favor of socialized medicine, but people need to understand why that's a literal impossibility in a country run by a bunch of idiot politicians who are in corporate America's hip pocket and are concerned only about their own political agendas. There's also the fact that the U.S. federal government is so incredibly inept and corrupt that there's no way socialized medicine could be efficiently administered. My source? I've been a federal contractor for years and witnessed it myself, first hand.
Here's some more of what I've seen. I've seen illegal aliens cross the Mexican border, drop their baby over here in a hospital, and have medicaid foot the bill while US citizens can't get any assistance for their pregnancies unless they are destitute. I've seen those same illegals get welfare on behalf of their anchor babies, who are also covered carte blanche with medicaid - on the other hand, when I left my ex in the 80s and was working for 5.00 an hour and paying $75.00 a week in child care, I couldn't get any assistance, no matter how temporary, to pay for my childrens' medical bills. I paid cash for them with what little money I had - back then you could actually pay for a doctor's bill and a prescription even if you were hard up. I was homeless living in a battered women's shelter, for the love of God.
I am sick and tired of seeing the middle class getting treated like scum in this country while lazy drug addicts and system manipulators don't have to worry about a thing. I know a man who is doing a life sentence in the Louisiana State Penitentiary for murder who has hepatitis C and got full treatment for it - he is now in remission. If he were a man out of work or desitute because of other things, you can bet your bottom dollar he would be turned out cold to die from his disease.
-
I absolutely did not imply you were a teabagger. All I said was that the only people I, personally, know of who claim they would rather die than take a handout are teabaggers. I didn't realize that you were making that claim for yourself. Except, given your background, you're not claiming you would not accept help given your past.
I have no idea what your observations about the cost of health care, lazy poor people, illegal immigration, etc. have to do with your claim that you know people who would rather die than take a handout. I'm particularly perplexed that someone who sought and received sanctuary in a shelter would have a problem with the uninsured receiving free care. And I still have no idea who these"fiercely independent" Americans are that you talk about.
I'm sorry you've had a tough life and I agree with you that the middle class is also having a tough time of it. This is why I WANT additional support for everyone. I WANT a single-payer system. I WANT a safety net.
I'm not sure what you want or what you are arguing for.
-
Well all I can say is you must have grown up in an entirely different part of the country from me. I'm basing my observations on the fact that the middle class where I've lived have been proud and have believed that taking charity was the ultimate shame. If that concept is so foreign to you, I really have to wonder where on earth you've been living all your life and how old you are. I certainly didn't like having to ask for assistance - it was humiliating, but I was doing my level best to carry my own weight in a very difficult situation. My children were more important to me than my pride - can you understand that?
I'll tell you what I want - I want to live in a country where the government is not so corrupt and inept that people who are decent and hard-working are the ones who are left to suffer and die. We need a political system that actually works and policians who are actually willing to work together for the good of the country.
-
Apparently I did grow up in a different part of the country.
I was taught to work hard, earn my way, and to help those less fortunate than myself. I have been very fortunate. I was able to go to college and graduate school. I have always had a job since I first needed one. I have always had health insurance. I willingly pay my taxes. I also donate my time in compensation for having been very fortunate.
Whether someone finds it humiliating to receive assistance is up to them. My only concern is that people have a place to go when they're homeless, that they have something to eat when they're hungry, and they can get the health care they need.
However, I still don't understand what this has to do with health care reform.You started out arguing that people should not be forced to buy health insurance because they don't want to be dictated to by the government. You also claimed that these same people would rather die than accept a handout.
I have heard the claims about "fiercely independent" Americans before and have challenged these claims, just as I did with you. The reason is because I do not believe that such people exist - at least in significant numbers. Yet these mythical people are trotted out everytime the argument is made that EVERYONE should pay their fair share of the health care tab.
I have serious reservations about forcing people to buy lousy private insurance. But I have no reservations about forcing people to pay their fair share of a public option or - better yet - a single-payer option.
Note that I said people should pay their fair share. I fail to understand why anyone would not be willing to do so. Especially since I can't find anyone who would rather die than have health care. Nor, according to you, do Americans want health care for free.
So we should be able to agree on this.
-
Brenda,
Wow, that is a high unemployment rate where you live. Ours is almost 20% and I thought we had it tough. All these manufacturing and tech jobs are going overseas from out here on the West Coast. My sister was asked if she would travel to India to train the person who is taking over her job! She has been with HP for almost 30 years, and must find her own replacement position in HP, interview for it, and be offered the job. How's that for company loyalty to their employees?! We just learned that the cement plant near us in a small community is closing--where small businesses are supported mainly by the people living in the commuity and working at the plant--120 people will lose their jobs. One guy had worked for them for 28 years--2 years shy of getting a pension from them. He will have to start over at another company or business--IF he can find a job!
And, these 20% and 24%+ unemployment rates in many areas of the country are not really accurate. These percentages include ONLY the people on unemployment and those looking for work. Many more have just given up. We have more and more homeless in our area than ever before. We have some parents working 3 part time jobs to try and keep a roof over their children's heads. There are more and more people needing help from Second Harvest Food Bank and other charitable food distribution centers. I don't know how much more this country can take.
My husband lives in limbo at least 50-75% of each year, worrying if this is going to be the year he will be laid off. At this point, he doesn't see how we can afford for him to retire even at the the age of 70. We are struggling to keep our heads above water. I am physically disabled and was forced to retire. We do have health insurance but the "cadillac" policy we enjoyed 10 years ago has slowly eroded each year, and each year we pay more out of pocket. If either of us had another significant health problem, we would lose everything and be out on the street.
I believe it is time for socialized medicine in this country. I worked for almost 50 years, and my husband will be doing the same--paying our full share into Medicare. I see the expansion of Medicare the best bet at this time. Everyone how works should be continuing to pay into the system. There should be enough to fund equitable health care for all.
These corporations and large businesses need to bring back jobs to this country. Outsourcing was a huge mistake. We Americans need these jobs. We need to make sure our young people have careers and can work to support themselves. To ask young families to pay almost $1,000 a month for health care (that's 2 adults and 2 children) is outrageous. Even a 40 hour a week job doesn't seem to pay enough to cover living expenses and the necessities, let alone health care.
I agree with whoever said that with this awful economy, it is now the moment when we desparately need health care reform. This is it--this is the time.
Pomegranate -
However, I still don't understand what this has to do with health care reform.You started out arguing that people should not be forced to buy health insurance because they don't want to be dictated to by the government.
As a matter of fact that is not where I started out at all if you read the entire thread. We're just going to have to agree to disagree because I am not here to have you pick apart every single statement I make and try to corner me as though this is a team debate at Harvard. And if you think private health insurance is so lousy, which has not been my experience AT ALL, just wait until the federal government tries to manage health care. You talk about a bad joke - the British, the Canadians and the Europeans can pull this off because they actually have consciencious, qualified people working for their governments. Over here, if you are federal employee you more than likely have your job because you grew up in an underpriviledged neighborhood where you got the opportunity of working for the feds for the rest of your life merely for finishing high school - it's called the "stay in school program" if you want to research it - just thought I'd mention that since you're so keen on citations.
-
Rico, I think the reason that people are reluctant to pay their fair share, is that when the government comes up with a scheme to help people in this country, too often the middle class especially is called on to pay their fair share, and about 3 other people's fair share too.
You are dreaming about a utopia that bears no resemblance to how the politicians (of all stripes) who run our government actually work. It's a lovely dream, it's just not reality, nor is it likely to become reality anytime soon.
Desdemona's apprehension to trust the government comes from long experience trying to get things done and seeing how our current system of government works.
Too many facets of government depend more on who you know than on what you know to accomplish anything. Unless and until we change that, there won't be significant trust or support for a single payer system.
-
Hi All,
My husband and I are self employed and have an HSA with a 5,000 up front deductable. My plan renewed in the middle of my treatments so I had to come up with 10,000. Fortunately, I can afford it and once I met those deductable my coverage is 100%. It really bothers me that many of us who have insurance/money are so insensitive to those who don't. In the richest country in the world people are going without insurance. Those who suffer the most are those who own a home, etc. because the health providers will attach everything. The reason people need to be required to have health insurance is because if they can afford to and don't, we all pay in higher premiums. That leads to more people dropping coverage. Someone said that we are independant people so we should not be required to carry health insurance. We are required to carry car insurance. Why is that different? Something has to change and fast.
Roseann
-
Americans are happier with Medicare than they are with private insurance.
Medicare overheads are a fraction of the private sector.
The cost of private insurance is doubling every ten years. The current structure is unsustainable.
Single-payer countries pay almost half of what Americans pay and they manage to insure everyone.
People are going bankrupt even with insurance.
American corporations cannot compete with other industrialized countries because of the cost of health insurance.
People can complain all they want but profit-driven health care is unsustainable.
-
Madalyn -
I'm not implying that there are NO good federal employees and I'm not trying to be misleading. What I am saying refers to my own experience with an agency for three years. I'm sorry, but I met so many people there who had lifetime employment (since getting fired from the federal government is just about impossible) because they entered the stay in school program. Most of these people were in jobs they were completely unqualified for and the result was the most chaotic, insane workplace I've ever experienced. I'll give you an example - there was a clerical worker, dumb as dirt and completely uneducated, who was promoted to manager of the technical help desk. No technical background or experience whatsoever. He was a very hard-working guy, though, I'll give him that. He was one of literally dozens of people I knew up there who had their jobs from stay in school - lots of them had been working for the feds for 20 years. I was told by the former stay in schools that if you enroll for stay in school you are guaranteed a job when you graduate. Forgive me if I was misinformed.
Do they even give merit exams anymore?
-
Well, I'm sorry, Madalyn. I didn't mean to upset you.
-
One thing that I NEVER see brought up in any health care discussion is the 'public options' that currently exist on a statewide level. I have been on COBRA and it expires this month. I am in the middle of tx and knew no regular private plan would accept me. (Note I have carried health insurance my entire life and never had a significant claim until this.) But I found that in Maryland where I live, there is a state funded public option administered by Blue Cross. It has 3 different choices of coverage at reasonable costs, plus there is a special plan that lowers premiums if your income qualifies. (Ours doesnt', but the regular premium is still fine.) We have been accepted into the coverage and it will start on 2/1. I am SO relieved. it does have a high deductible ($2600) before it will cover anything but we will fund an HSA and use that to pay the deductible and all other out of pocket costs.
The plan is ONLY available to those who have either exhausted COBRA or have a pre-existing condition that disallows you from purchasing regular coverage. In regard to the 'waiting until your house burns down to purchase fire insurance," they cover that by saying that if you have not had continuous coverage (i.e. lived being uninsured until something happened), there is a 12 mo waiting period on pre-existing conditions or you have to pay an extra premium as penalty.
Now I will say up front I haven't been on this plan YET, but it SEEMS to me to be a reasonable answer to the problem and something similar could be adopted on a nationwide level OR state by state. I think the sweeping changes that are being proposed are what have many people scared - especiallly people who aren't involved in health problems and think things are fine the way they are. (I used to be one.) I can clearly see that something HAS to be done. Too many people are fallingthrough the very large cracks. But I also wonder what plans exist in other states that people are not aware of and are panicking thinking no one will insure them when plans like this DO exist.
Amy
-
Looks like this is another thread I will have to avoid.
And by the way, the IDEA that ANYONE would claim that people who accept any sort of safety net are not TOO PROUD and that others who don't DO have pride, just reeks.
-
Patmom .. again, I agree with you. The middle class does take the hit, doesn't it.
I'm very disappointed that this thread has fallen apart. It was the only thread on healthcare that I read .. and was learning a lot. I felt like shit reading the other healthcare threads ... because I'm one of those who used to be a "have" and now I'm a "have not." Everytime I read about the no good, worthless people on medicaid, I want to cry buckets. Well, I'm one of them. I had the cadillac of all insurance when I lived in San Diego ... you know, fancy doctor's offices, designer furniture, the best of everything, etc. Then I found myself in VA with no insurance three years ago. And I had a lump in my breast. I HAD to go to the free clinic. I sobbed throughout the entire ordeal. Thankfully, the NP there fast-tracked me to the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program. I didn't even know it existed. To qualify you have to have a PAP and breast exam at the Health Dept. I never cried so hard as when I had to sit in that huge dirty room on plastic chairs and be called by a NUMBER, not a name, a number. I had to change into nothing in a dirty hallway. The light fell off the wall when the NP was doing the PAP. You get the picture.
So far my shame and sadness about this is longlasting. But, I'm so grateful to the program that saved my life. I was asked to do a newspaper article shortly after my treatment about the program. I freaked out ... I didn't want anyone to know I was on medicaid.
When I had my mammo last month, I told my favorite nurse that I was ready to talk about it. It was time to get the word out to all the folks just like me who fall through cracks.
I don't want to come hear and read about "pride" and "teabaggers" and whose fault this mess is. I just want some help for all those men and women who need it and can't get it.
I guess I can kiss another healthcare thread goodbye.
Bren
-
Bren -
I was generalizing and I'm sorry you're hurt. It's true that some people end up on medicaid because they haven't put enough into the Social Security system even though they have worked because they are too young or didn't work enough years or whatever. But the vast majority of people on medicaid are welfare recipients.
Being proud of your own self-sufficiency doesn't count for much when you lose your health - even the proudest people are reduced to "asking for handouts" as Rico put it. Easy to criticize that when you've never been there. And believe me when I tell you I have been there and back.
My main point is that the middle class in general has been abandoned and marginalized in this country while non-productive members (non-productive by choice) get all their needs met with no problem. It just makes me ill.
It goes without saying that there is an exception to every generalization so I guess I was wrong to express my opinion in such broad terms. I'm having to apologize a lot here - obviously I have stepped on peoples' toes without meaning to. Please accept my apology.
-
pomegranate, I just looked the latest unemployment numbers for my county and they are now, Montgomery County- 13.5%.
I did get one bit of good news yesterday, my secondary insurance paid all of my remaining Pet/ct scan and Radiologist bills, before I lost the insurance. That's a big help to me.
AmyisStrong, we did look into state offered risk pool insurance for my hubby, and it's over $700 a month.
-
Here's a website where you can find out if you have risk pool insurance available in your state.
-
I'm so tired of all of this. I can't look at the big picture anymore. I have mets and getting IV chemo and working just so I can keep my insurance and keep my home. Each day is harder. My friends, family and co-workers tell me how strong I am but they never see me sitting in my car crying my eyes out trying to get the strength to continue doing my job. When I walk my legs are week, I get short of breath and have to sit down every so often. I am in pain everyday.
I have worked and paid into insurance for 40 years. Most of that time I never had any claims. SSDI isn't an option for me because even though I would have a high rate of monthly payments it would never cover the cost of living, I would have to stop treatment, I would have to give up my home and my animals which I love dearly. The thought of having to move in with my SIL is more than disheartening.
I am your average middle class person that has worked hard all of her life. Then cancer entered my life and everything changed. I don't know how medicaid works in other states, but here in Illinois we haven't paid our bills in over 6 months. As a result doctors, clinics, nursing home don't want to accept public aid or medicaid patients.
I guess my only option will be that when I finally cannot work anymore, I will no longer be able to afford treatment and end up dying from this ugly disease. I know there are many out there like myself.
I too thought that health care reform should be a black and white situation. It turned into this ugly mess and I finally gave up when I realized even if they passed health care reform, it wasn't going to help me. Despite working hard all my life, I see now that I am at the end of my life there is nothing out there that can help me. Now in America - this is just too sad.
nnn
-
Hi Nicki .. I love you buddy! I confess, I used your situation to make a point on the previous page.
Becky .. no problem. I admire how you have taken care of your children and worked hard to make your life better. Hugs to you.
love,
Bren
-
Wow. I was so hopeful about the conversation taking place here. But there is now more hate being spewed for those who are less fortunate than the 'middle class'. Correction, those who are "non productive by choice".
I would love to know why there is so much anger directed to them rather than to the people who have become members of the "upper class" by taking ever last penny you have for their own self interests.
Desdamona, you mention that your adult children are uninsured. Would it be too personal to ask why that is?
-
Palamino -- your situation provides such a stark contrast to others mentioned here of people taking advantage, not buying insurance, using medicaid, or being in prison and getting top-notch medical care.
Well, life is not fair. To deny you the benefit of being able to quit work while undergoing Stage lV tx just because some think if "we provide universal coverage, it means society's losers/grifters/illegals will get the healthcare they don't deserve", is just plain wrong, IMO. There will always be grifters -- to paraphrase, for every good, honest person, there will often exist the opposite -- that's just the way it is.
As for being too proud to accept a handout -- remember the old movies where the family faced destitution, but the "proud" father wouldn't accept a helping hand? I would always think "but what about his wife and children? His pride was standing in the way of their well-being". Still makes no sense to me! Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "pride goeth before a fall".
Palomino, I'm hoping against hope that a solution can be found for you to take early retirement and stay in your home with your dh and beloved animals. You, of all people, truly deserve it.
Hugs, Linda
-
I have to take issue with the statement that "non-productive members (non-productive by choice) get all their needs met with no problem."
There has been a life-time 5-year limit on welfare in the U.S. since 1996:
http://www.policyalmanac.org/social_welfare/welfare.shtml -
Also keep in mind that welfare/AFDC/TANF ("Temporary Assistance for Needy Families") is basically for families with minor children. State "general assistance" programs for the childless (or those whose children are grown) are VERY skimpy, where they exist at all. And in most states, Medicaid is not available to childless adults. You can have no income, no assets, nada, and you still won't qualify for Medicaid coverage.
Linda
-
My dad went on Medicaid for a while. He went into a nursing home. I had to fill out the papers. Anyway, he had a home in Texas(he lived in N.C.), my mom still had a car (she wasn't able to use it...my useless nephew did who's had a bunch of kids and now his oldest (17 yo) daughter has two kids and you know how they get their health care). One can have $2000 in the bank and that's it. So, you can own a home, have a house and $2000..oh, and own a car. When Dad went into the nursing home and my mom lived at home, he didn't have to give up his entire social security check. Then, when Mom went into the nursing home in Texas, his entire Social Security check was sent to the nursing home pluse a payment of $134 because of the house. Medicaid is different from state to state. Then, Dad got out of the nursing home. And when he passed his Social Security check was sent to Mom's nursing home. I'm sure when she passes they will take her house. Many people have their homes put in one of their children's name to prevent this from happening. (We didn't do that) Or they put their money in their kids' name. I know that Medicaid has changed over the years. It used to be that you had to have these changes two years before going on Medicaid. I believe it's more like five now. But the care my mom has had over the years...her house couldn't begin to pay for it. So, it's fair that the government get it. I do not like it when I see where people HATE IT when the government takes something from the family after their parent dies. If the governemnt provided the service (Medicaid) then they should get paid in return.
Categories
- All Categories
- 679 Advocacy and Fund-Raising
- 289 Advocacy
- 68 I've Donated to Breastcancer.org in honor of....
- Test
- 322 Walks, Runs and Fundraising Events for Breastcancer.org
- 5.6K Community Connections
- 282 Middle Age 40-60(ish) Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 53 Australians and New Zealanders Affected by Breast Cancer
- 208 Black Women or Men With Breast Cancer
- 684 Canadians Affected by Breast Cancer
- 1.5K Caring for Someone with Breast cancer
- 455 Caring for Someone with Stage IV or Mets
- 260 High Risk of Recurrence or Second Breast Cancer
- 22 International, Non-English Speakers With Breast Cancer
- 16 Latinas/Hispanics With Breast Cancer
- 189 LGBTQA+ With Breast Cancer
- 152 May Their Memory Live On
- 85 Member Matchup & Virtual Support Meetups
- 375 Members by Location
- 291 Older Than 60 Years Old With Breast Cancer
- 177 Singles With Breast Cancer
- 869 Young With Breast Cancer
- 50.4K Connecting With Others Who Have a Similar Diagnosis
- 204 Breast Cancer with Another Diagnosis or Comorbidity
- 4K DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)
- 79 DCIS plus HER2-positive Microinvasion
- 529 Genetic Testing
- 2.2K HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
- 1.5K IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)
- 3.4K IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)
- 1.5K ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)
- 999 Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis
- 652 LCIS (Lobular Carcinoma In Situ)
- 193 Less Common Types of Breast Cancer
- 252 Male Breast Cancer
- 86 Mixed Type Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned
- 189 Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care
- 488 Second or Third Breast Cancer
- 1.2K Stage I Breast Cancer
- 313 Stage II Breast Cancer
- 3.8K Stage III Breast Cancer
- 2.5K Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- 13.1K Day-to-Day Matters
- 132 All things COVID-19 or coronavirus
- 87 BCO Free-Cycle: Give or Trade Items Related to Breast Cancer
- 5.9K Clinical Trials, Research News, Podcasts, and Study Results
- 86 Coping with Holidays, Special Days and Anniversaries
- 828 Employment, Insurance, and Other Financial Issues
- 101 Family and Family Planning Matters
- Family Issues for Those Who Have Breast Cancer
- 26 Furry friends
- 1.8K Humor and Games
- 1.6K Mental Health: Because Cancer Doesn't Just Affect Your Breasts
- 706 Recipe Swap for Healthy Living
- 704 Recommend Your Resources
- 171 Sex & Relationship Matters
- 9 The Political Corner
- 874 Working on Your Fitness
- 4.5K Moving On & Finding Inspiration After Breast Cancer
- 394 Bonded by Breast Cancer
- 3.1K Life After Breast Cancer
- 806 Prayers and Spiritual Support
- 285 Who or What Inspires You?
- 28.7K Not Diagnosed But Concerned
- 1K Benign Breast Conditions
- 2.3K High Risk for Breast Cancer
- 18K Not Diagnosed But Worried
- 7.4K Waiting for Test Results
- 603 Site News and Announcements
- 560 Comments, Suggestions, Feature Requests
- 39 Mod Announcements, Breastcancer.org News, Blog Entries, Podcasts
- 4 Survey, Interview and Participant Requests: Need your Help!
- 61.9K Tests, Treatments & Side Effects
- 586 Alternative Medicine
- 255 Bone Health and Bone Loss
- 11.4K Breast Reconstruction
- 7.9K Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 2.7K Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment
- 775 Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results
- 7.8K Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 50 Immunotherapy - Before, During, and After
- 7.4K Just Diagnosed
- 1.4K Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy
- 5.2K Lymphedema
- 3.6K Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment
- 591 Pain
- 3.9K Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After
- 8.4K Surgery - Before, During, and After
- 109 Welcome to Breastcancer.org
- 98 Acknowledging and honoring our Community
- 11 Info & Resources for New Patients & Members From the Team