(Image Source: The Post and Courier)

BY JIM FLINK

You're watching multisource politics news analysis from Newsy.

A man is denied health coverage for cancer because... he’s a man.
Yep.
Federal Medicaid laws which apply to all women with certain income restrictions -- don’t apply to men -- if that man -- has breast cancer.

Such is the case for Raymond Johnson -- who is one of 2,000 men this year -- who will detect a lump, and discover -- it’s breast cancer.

First to the guidelines -- which -- you might imagine -- are quite strict.
Charleston’s Post and Courier outlines those.

“The federal department’s guidelines for the breast and cervical treatment program say women must be diagnosed through ‘early detection’ programs funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ... In South Carolina, such screening is offered to uninsured women between the ages of 47 and 64 ... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services neither recommends nor covers routine breast cancer screening for men....”

Enter Johnson.
26-years-old -- employed -- but not making enough money to cover his own insurance.
He qualifies for Medicaid.
But Charleston’s WCIV-TV notes -- not for breast cancer coverage -- which means -- he has no way to pay.

(reporter) “But time is running out.  Raymond is on his second round of chemotherapy.”
(nurse) “This is chemo-pad, so that none of the chemotherapy drips on your clothes.”
(reporter) “The treatment so toxic, the woman giving it has to wear special clothes.”
(health care advocate) “Each treatment is probably roughly around ten grand.”
(reporter) “Expensive but needed to save Raymond’s life. And would be paid for if he wasn’t a man.”

Thing is -- breast cancer does affect thousands of men every year. Still -- Congress drew up the exclusion for men in 2000.  The Consumerist notes...

“While breast cancer in males is not common, it’s no yellow lobster.”

Even so, the blog SodaHead notes, in these economic times -- good luck to Mr. Johnson -- in getting any help.

“Medical coverage is obviously a hot topic in politics right now because it takes up so much of the country’s, uh, delicate budget, which makes it hard for the government to do anything about Johnson’s case. Right now, politicians are trying to cut spending, not extend programs.”

The blog Hypervocal says -- mark this down as one more reason -- America’s health care system makes no sense.

“Gotta love America, though, where dire health situations result in the choice of saving your life or going bankrupt. But that’s okay. Free markets, socialism, European medicine, and death panels. Did we miss any of the arguments against altering the current system?”

Johnson is getting help for now -- donated help -- from the clinic which diagnosed the issue.  He is appealing his case to the federal government.

 

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Transcript by Newsy