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Medicare's "Least Costly Alternative" Policy
for Prostate Cancer Patients on Hormonal Therapy Sample Letter |
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Dr. Arthur Lurvey, Medical Director Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance 1150 South Olive Street Los Angeles, CA 90015-2211 Dear Dr. Lurvey: As a prostate cancer patient, I am strongly opposed to the proposed Medicare policy change to limit treatment options for prostate cancer patients. Prostate cancer treatments should be determined by a patient and his doctor - not by the government or insurance companies. This policy change would restrict prostate cancer treatment options by dictating that patients on hormone therapy only be reimbursed for the cheapest available treatment. Doctors and patients would be forced to base medical decisions on cost alone. If a prostate cancer patient wishes to remain on his current therapy and it is not deemed the "least costly alternative," he must pay the difference out of his own pocket. On top of everything prostate cancer patients face in battling this terrible disease, they will now shoulder the added financial burden and a policy which strips them of the ability to control their own health care. While I am immediately concerned that this policy unfairly targets prostate cancer patients, I am also concerned about what treatments or diseases will be next? Will all Medicare be based on the least costly alternative? I am afraid that this would be yet another step toward a two-tiered medical system, where only the most affluent patients will be able to choose their health care treatments. Please protect the rights of Medicare patients and preserve prostate cancer patients' ability to choose their own course of treatment! I urge you to stop this misguided policy. Thank you for considering my input and I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, John Q Citizen |
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