 Great News from Tennessee - This needs to happen in every state....
Nashville, Tennessee (April 26,2019) — Governor Bill Lee signed bill SB 195/HB 184, also known as the “Proton Therapy Access Act” which requires the state health insurance plan to extend coverage for proton radiation therapy as an approved cancer treatment option. The bill received overwhelming approval in the House of Representatives with a 94-0 vote. The measure previously passed The Senate with a 27-1 vote.
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Prostate Cancer Treatment SpaceOAR Gel ~ Side Effects Aren’t Side Issues When They Happen to You8/12/2018 
In the event you are denied coverage for Proton Therapy, we recommend you look at immunotherapy treatments and if you have no other option but radiation or surgery, please look into radiation..just make sure you ask if the doctor uses SpaceOAR Hydrogel..if they don't. ..find one that does. You can search on www.spaceoar.com for one that does. Below is an explanation of what SpaceOar is. This will reduce side effects as discussed in the You Tube video below.
 After losing his mother to breast cancer and then fighting testicular cancer himself, Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton started a foundation to help those touched by the disease.
BY LAURA PANJWANI PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 Figure skater Scott Hamilton is perhaps best known for his signature backflip—a difficult move that few others can execute on ice. But while the Olympic gold medalist has spent much of his career turning himself upside down, he now aims to turn cancer upside down. After losing his mother to breast cancer in 1977 and surviving his own battle with testicular cancer in 1997, Hamilton started the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation, which is dedicated to funding world-class research and quality care to improve cancer survivorship. The logo for his foundation, an upside down ribbon, is a nod to his backflip and, more importantly, his goal to reverse the trajectory of cancer. 
Scott Hamilton shares his thoughts about his Mothers Breast Cancer, his cancer and Proton Therapy.
The most recognized male figure skating star in the world, Scott Hamilton has won 70 titles, awards and honors including an Emmy Award nomination, induction into the United States OlympicHall of Fame and a privileged member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. In 1984, he captured the attention of the world with his Olympic Gold medal performances in Saravejo and since has shared his love and enthusiasm for the sport as a commentator, performer, producer and best-selling author (Landing It & The Great Eight).  May 10, 2018
ERWIN, Tenn. – There's one last hope for Tennesseans who might benefit from a state-of-the-art cancer treatment. Republican Gov. Bill Haslam vetoed the Cancer Patient Choice Act late last week, but there's talk of a possible special session to override his veto.  May 08, 2018 02:24 PM
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Governor Haslam’s statement regarding his veto of the Proton Therapy Access Act states that the Act “circumvents the established process for determining state employee insurance program coverage based on medical evidence and effectiveness.” According to Don Denton, President, Tennessee Cancer Patient Coalition, “State Executive Director of Benefits Administration, Laurie Lee, testified multiple times that her team lacks the resources and expertise to recommend or review coverage guidelines so they outsource those decisions to their insurance company and their insurer’s utilization manager, eviCore Healthcare Management. So, the established process the Governor refers to is simply outsourcing the decision to a third-party which has a vested interest in rationing healthcare. Relying on insurance companies to establish coverage guidelines for the latest therapies is obviously a flawed process for cancer patients given the disparity between eviCore’s proton therapy guidelines covering less than 5% of cancer incidence while Medicare covers over 70% of cancer incidence. This is clearly the case of the fox watching the hen house.” This article is so sad. Exactly the reason we chose to do Proton Therapy.. The quality of life for a man is not good if they choose to do radiation or surgery. A way to minimize symptoms is to have Space Oars inserted before normal radiaion if proton therapy is not an option for you. This will help protect your vital organs from the damages of the radiation. Our doctor who wanted to do radiation never even mentioned this, so you will need to ask.
March 19, 2018 The issue of suicide risk among prostate cancer patients is back on the table again as a consequence of a presentation at the ongoing annual meeting of the European Association of Urology in Copenhagen, Denmark. We had previously commented on prostate cancer and suicide back in 2009 and also in early 2010. POSTED 7:06 AM, MAY 4, 2018, BY AP NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Gov. Bill Haslam has vetoed legislation that would have required state employee insurance to cover proton therapy, an alternative treatment for certain cancers. In a statement Thursday, the Republican governor said the legislation could put patients at risk and expose them to excessive charges from out-of-network providers. The bill sponsored by Sen. Mark Green and Rep. Bob Ramsey, both Republicans, would have helped a Knoxville-based proton therapy company that plans to open another facility in Franklin. Medical experts say the treatment reduces damage to surrounding tissue. Haslam said the provider advocating for the bill rejected a medically appropriate plan to expand coverage and instead pursued a political mandate. House Speaker Beth Harwell and Senate Speaker Randy McNally said it would be premature to call for a veto-override special session. Source Link
 This is a great Site for information on Protons and everything related to it, including insurance help, which seems to be an issue for prostate cancer patients. Hopefully the things Bob mentions in his newsletter will help get that changed. We thank him for his help and resources he shares with us all. It is an excellent resource for all Proton Patients and those researching Proton therapy.
Penn Medicine
Published on Dec 7, 2012 Four men talk about their cancer diagnoses, how they decided to have proton therapy, and their experiences with proton therapy. |
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