Television Special About Cancer Tonight

A one-hour telethon to raise awareness and funds for cancer research will be televised tonight on ABC, CBS, and NBC at 8 PM ET/PT.
Jennifer Aniston (whose aunt died of liver cancer), Sidney Poitier (a prostate cancer survivor) and Terrence Howard (he says his mom has stage 4 colon cancer) are using their star power to promote Stand Up to Cancer.

My grandkids are coming for a visit tonight, so I'll have to record it in order to watch later.

Have a good weekend.
Blessings,
Rick

What Do Governor Sarah Palin and Proton Beam Therapy Have In Common?

Governor Sarah Palin has come onto the national stage with a frenzy. Some wonder where she came from and more importantly, where has she been. She has been under the radar for sure. Most Americans had never heard of her and for Presidential candidate John McCain to pick her as his Vice Presidential running mate was a maverick move to say the least. Her speech last night was one that electrified the Republican base as well as shocked those watching on TV at her ability to deliver when she needed to.

It reminds me of the shock and wonder when I tell someone about proton beam therapy. Most of the time people ask, "where has this been?". When I mention that the technology has been around since 1946, they are shocked. The Wall Street Journal reported in the summer of 2005 that proton beam therapy was a "well kept secret". My question to that is; "if someone knew of a cure for your cancer and they were keeping it a secret from you, how livid would you be?"

Time will tell about the success or failure of Sarah Palin to deliver as she moves ahead on her plans to become the first woman vice president in our country's history.
Proton beam therapy is delivering everyday in the lives of so many people and it's being kept a secret by some.
I will continue to shout it from any mountain top that I can.

Have a good Thursday.
Blessings,
Rick

First Men Over 75 Shouldn't Bother To Get PSA screening, Now Medicare Wigs Out On Proton Beam Therapy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published its first-ever quarterly list of drugs, medical devices and procedures that Medicare patients may no longer be able to access.
The list, posted on CMS’s website this week, provides an unprecedented glimpse into what companies or sectors might be celebrating or mourning in the months ahead. It’s the Medicare national coverage determinations, or NCDs, that can be the difference between whether a drug- or device maker sees a huge return on research and development or a crushing bust.
And in an effort to improve transparency and public input, all members of the public — whether business interests, healthcare providers or patients — will able to provide CMS with comments.
CMS lists 19 potential topics for national coverage determinations in the next quarter-year. These topics include drugs to treat anemia, “proton beam therapy” to treat prostate cancer, and tiny, implantable devices that keep coronary arteries open while dispensing medication, called drug-eluting stents.
Not only does Medicare command a large portion of the healthcare marketplace, private insurance companies regularly adopt the same or similar coverage policies based on Medicare’s decisions.
CMS’s regional contractors make the vast majority of coverage determinations. In most cases when the agency’s headquarters steps in, it is in response to a request by manufacturers or medical providers seeking greater clarity on Medicare’s coverage policies based on variations in the locally made decisions. Other times, CMS will initiate a national coverage determination based on agency staff recommendations when they see, for example, new clinical evidence that they believe merits a reconsideration of an old decision.
Based on the statutory standard of whether the new technology or procedure is “reasonable and necessary,” the resultant policy then applies to Medicare providers and patients across the country.
(CMS Chief Medical Officer Barry) Straube stressed that the actual NCD process will not change and that CMS does not intend to centralize coverage determinations. “We have no plans right now to change the national coverage-versus-local coverage decision process,” he said, noting that CMS lacks the financial resources to take over for the regional contractors.

Even though proton beam therapy offers comparable cure rates and little to no side effects, it looks like Medicare is poised to pounce on people who want to choose protons to treat their cancer.

We'll keep a close eye on this one.

Have a good Wednesday.
Blessings,
Rick

Just A Joke

When I first went to my urologist, I had to admit to willful ignorance about the prostate in spite of Dad having PCa. I asked him, "What does the prostate do?" Simple question. Simple answer from the urologist: "Makes me a lot of money!"

I know this is a joke, but bear it in mind when doing your homework. Determine who has the most to gain fro your treatment. Make sure that the medical professional you choose has more of your interest in mind than his or her own.

Have a good Tuesday.
Blessings,
Rick

What Historic Times

So many historic things happening. For the first time in history we have an African/American presidential candidate, a Republican woman nominated for vice president, a political party being impacted by a hurricane and whatever else we'll find in these exciting times.

History is being made and unfortunately some are sleeping through it.

It reminds me of a time some 60 years ago when a treatment for cancer was developed that is still being kept a secret from some. Proton beam therapy was as a result of developing the atomic bomb. The bomb was called on to end World War II, but the offer of help and hope to so many was born as well.

What wonderful times we are living in.

Have a great Labor Day.
Blessings,
Rick