Stop the sexism in the affordable health care act

From Howard Goldman,National Coalition of Men:

Now that men and women pay equally for healthcare, shouldn't men receive equal coverage when it comes to fully covered services? Shouldn't there finally be a government health office dealing with men's health? Men and women should sign this petition no matter if they agree with the Affordable Care Act or not. The Act is sexist and needs to be made unbiased should it remain in existence in its present state. (Since Change.org seems to have cropped my original top photo to remove all resemblence of what it was supposed to portray, the chart shows govt. funding for cancer by gender (millions of $) 2009. The first bar graph is for the National Institute of Health and the second bar graph is the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).)

On August 1, 2012 many more health care services became available to women without co-pays, deductibles, or out-of-pocket expenses. While this can be seen as a victory for women's health, there are many services that affect men in equal or similar ways that still require men to be able to afford those cost-sharing requirements. Why should all women receive these services (such as well-care visits) "free" while men still will be denied those services if they can not afford to pay for them? The Affordable Care Act will undoubtedly expand the gender life-expectancy gap even further due to men being denied these well-care visits. Black and Hispanic males will be hit hardest as studies have shown them to be less likely to afford those out-of-pocket expenses.

These are our fathers, our brothers and our sons that perhaps will be forced to go without those well-care visits to determine important screenings and services. It's great to have our mothers, sisters and daughters to not have to be concerned with financial obligations to receive those services. This act should not force some men to be denied those preventive care services just because of financial inability. It's time to rectify the imbalance and make this bill adhere to gender equality.

A look at what preventive services are deemed sexist can be found in the US Dept. of Health and Human Services list of such services and to whom they apply: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html#CoveredPreventiveServicesforAdults We ask President Obama to correct the following biased aspects of the Affordable Care Act:

FACT#1
WOMEN ARE PROVIDED WELL-CARE VISITS WITHOUT DEDUCTIBLES, CO-PAYS OR OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN RECOMMENDED PREVENTIVE SERVICES. MEN WILL BE DENIED THESE WELL-CARE VISITS UNLESS THEY CAN COME UP WITH THE REQUIRED EXTRA FUNDS. This will mean that many men will not go for well-care visits due to lack of affordability. This will lead to many men not being diagnosed until a disease has become more expensive to treat or until it is too late for treatment altogether. This will cost lives and add to the already burdensome cost of The Affordable Care Act.

FACT#2
BREAST CANCER SCREENINGS ARE FULLY COVERED WITHOUT DEDUCTIBLES, CO-PAYS OR OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS. PROSTATE CANCER SCREENINGS REQUIRE MEN TO FIND A WAY TO PAY THOSE EXTRA COSTS OR BE DENIED PREVENTIVE CARE. Prostate cancer affects 1 in 6 men and kills roughly 28,000 annually. Breast cancer affects 1 in 9 women and kills roughly 39,000 annually. Should this Act continue, no one should be turned away from these preventive cancer screenings.

FACT#3
ALL FDA APPROVED CONTRACEPTIVES AND STERILIZATION PROCEDURES ARE TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO WOMEN WITH NO OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS, DEDUCTIBLES OR CO-PAYS. MEN WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS, DEDUCTIBLES OR CO-PAYS. This means a tubal ligation would be at no cost to women, but vasectomies would require co-pays or deductibles, perhaps rather hefty ones at that. Why should men have to pay if they choose not to bring a child into this world, but a woman does not?

FACT#4
ALL SEXUALLY ACTIVE WOMEN CAN BE SCREENED FOR HIV WITHOUT OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS, DEDUCTIBLES, OR CO-PAYS BUT ONLY HIGH RISK MEN CAN BE SCREENED WITHOUT THOSE COSTS. Why should sexually active men that wish to be tested for HIV be turned away if they can't afford it? This will cause more men to go without life-extending or life-saving treatments. This will also cause more women to be infected by partners who may not know they have HIV and weren't able to be tested due to financial constraints. This will affect black men and women most as they have the highest rates of HIV. High risk women over 30 also can receive DNA screenings for HPV at no extra cost, but high risk men would have to pay. Shouldn't high risk men also be tested so that they know they are carriers and can further prevent spread to others? The same can be said for Gonorrhea as high risk women screenings are covered in full while high risk men are not.

FACT#5
ALL WOMEN WILL BE SCREENED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITHOUT DEDUCTIBLES, CO-PAYS OR OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS. DESPITE MEN BEING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (DV) AT EQUAL RATES AS WOMEN, MEN ARE DENIED NO-COST SCREENINGS. Men make up 53% of the victims of physical violence in interpersonal relationships and 42% of the victims of the most severe domestic violence. This is blatant discrimination and needs to be rectified. The same CDC study the White House cites in their memos about DV proves the above figures: (Tables 4.1 and 4.2 (12 month figures) and tables 4.7 and 4.8). Men also make up the majority of psychological victims of DV (Tables 4.9 and 4.10). To ignore male victims of DV is sheer discrimination by our government. Due to embarrassment and risk of arrest, men are more inclined to not report DV and, thus, having medical personnel screen them may be the best way to help those victims.

(http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/NISVS_Report2010-a.pdf)

FACT#6
COUNSELING- SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS PREVENTION COUNSELING IS FULLY COVERED FOR ALL SEXUALLY ACTIVE WOMEN BUT ONLY FOR HIGH RISK MEN. Wouldn't both men and women be safer from spreading stds if ALL sexually active people are counseled without having it be restricted to those men that can financially afford it? Fully covered HIV counseling is also only offered to women. Shouldn't men also be able to access counseling about this dreaded illness without financial constraints if women are?

FACT#7
THERE ARE NO FEDERAL HEALTH OFFICES DEALING WITH MALE-SPECIFIC HEALTH ISSUES. NONE FORTHCOMING EITHER. NONE. THERE ARE MANY WOMEN'S HEALTH OFFICES AND AGENCIES AND MANY MORE TO BE FORMED IN THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. Please have one of the agencies that are to be formed in the Affordable Care Act devoted to Men's Health. It is long, long overdue. This is one reason for miniscule funding for men's health compared to women's health in the federal government. (See petition photo showing recent funding for women's cancer and men's cancer.) No one is asking for 50/50, but how about at least one for now?

The Act has 134 references to women's health but just 2 for men's health and those are just in passing. The Act has a separate chapter for women's health, but none for men's health. The Act has an entire section devoted to breast cancer. No other cancer, including prostate cancer, has this. Prostate cancer is never even mentioned. It's time for the government to stop ignoring men's health issues.

To sign the petition go here

This sounds good to me and if you are an MRA you may like it too and the best way to get it implemented is to sign the petition. Protect your life by signing this petition. Do so right away.

Male only "privileges" that women want no part of

We often hear about how women want equality and that they want equal access to "male privilege" Now before I go on there are two types of "privileges" that are going to be talked about here: the first is the scenario of the male executives,with glasses of champagne,toasting a successful business plan and high fiving each other. Women see this and they start making demands to achieve it. What they don't see or care to for that matter is how weeks earlier when these same men were still brainstorming and trying to come up with rough drafts,with their heads in their hands. It seems women want the best of life without making the sacrifices to achieve it.

The following are "male-only privileges" that women want no part of:

Men are the only ones that face the death penalty in murder cases but even in cases where the death penalty is spared men "enjoy" longer sentences than women.

Male only selective service where men and only men have to sign up for to receive government benefits

Men receiving longer sentences for the same crimes that females also commit. Even if the woman is the mastermind she can place blame on the man to conceal her culpability.

When men and women both serve in the military only men may be required to serve in combat. Also the fitness required for women is lower than for men

Men make up the majority of occupation accidents and fatalities: 95% vs. 5%.

Men's health concerns are neglected compared to women's health issues. Men's concerns gets pennies while women's health issues gets dollars.

Women outlive men by a decade.

Men are victimize by anti-male laws such as VAWA that strips them of everything they worked hard for and destroy their reputations in the process.

If we can consider the aforementioned bullet points to be "privileges" "enjoyed" by men then I happily concede my "privileges" to whoever wants them.

LA goes blue for prostate cancer awareness month

NCFM Member Ray Blumhorst and Prostate Cancer Blue Lights

October 14, 2011
By NCFM

Grass Roots Are Looking Nice and Blue This Year (for raising awareness about prostate cancer)

Los Angeles City Hall going blue for prostate cancer awarness month

“Person by person, group by group, the prostate cancer blue movement appears to be taking root nicely.


LA City Hall is going blue for the first time ever September 16-18.

Prostate cancer advocates who have long yearned to see more blue each September as part of National Prostate Cancer Awareness month should be encouraged this year. It appears that, through pure determination and stubbornness, we are making progress. Next week in Los Angeles, major landmarks such as LA City Hall, the Capitol Records Building, Los Angeles International Airport, The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and others are lighting up blue to broadcast the message of awareness and the importance of early detection and treatment. The same is happening in Atlanta and other cities…


Ray Blumhorst is one of many American men who are shedding light on prostate cancer this year.

Ray Blumhorst

‘After cleaning my front porch fixture, and installing the new blue light bulb, I shot this photo using the camera’s self-timer. As I was taking one photo, some neighbors passed by and said, “Say cheese.” I didn’t say anything as the camera was timing down, but I think my little blue light bulb is already starting to bring some attention to the scourge of prostate cancer,” says Ray Blumhorst, who got his blue bulb up several days in advance of Prostate Cancer Awareness month.’”

You can read the rest of the article on prostate survivor Dan Zenka’s blog at click here. And, nice work Mr. Zenka… and, Mr. Blumhorst.

Source:click here

Way to go,Ray. This is a big plus for the MRM as it gets our concerns before the people. If we present our concerns to allies and neutrals we can accomplish a lot of great things. The thing is we have to turn the neutrals into allies and we have the allies assist us in pushing the MRM. As far as our enemies are concerned,fuck them and defeat them. This goes to show that activism goes a long way. We're on the right course,don't stop.

Be more cunning and less cunnilingus

Oral sex, HPV puts non-smoking men at highest risk for oral cancer: What are the facts?

BY LINDSAY GOLDWERT

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Monday, April 18, 2011

HPV, otherwise known as the human papillomavirus, is a leading cause of cervical cancer for women but the nasty virus is now causing a spike in oral cancer and ravaging an entirely different group: men.

Cases of oral cancer resulting from exposure to the HPV-16 strain of the virus are hitting epidemic proportions in the U.S., doctors say.

Though the mention of oral cancer evokes images of gravely-voiced chain-smokers, the disease now has a new face: mostly white, male, non-smokers in their late 30s and early 40s.

The tumors forming on the back of their tongues and tonsils have nothing to do with nicotine - they are directly linked to engaging in oral sex with multiple female partners.

"If you've had more than five or six sexual partners, you are at a higher risk," Dr. Eric M. Genden, professor and chair of head and neck surgery at Mount Sinai Medical center told the Daily News. "We're only now beginning to see the beginning of a bell curve."

Women can get it from men as well although their chances are lower, according to doctors.

The human papillomavirus (HPV), a nasty bug with strains that causes genital warts and cervical cancer in women, is now the top cause of oral cancer in men, beating out smoking and drinking, according to reports from the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Oncology as well as other research and treating institutions.

The number of smokers in the U.S. has steadily declined in the past 50 years, yet the rate of oral cancer has remained relatively steady and recently been on the increase.

The reason is an increase in HPV-16 in the U.S. population.

Oral cancer is frightening because it often goes undetected until a lump appears on the neck or a patient begins to suffer from a persistent hoarseness. By then, even though the patient may feel fine, he could be in the late stages of the deadly disease.

If detected early, the chance for surviving oral cancer from HPV is high, between 85 to 90%. Treatments - localized radiation, chemotherapy and sometimes surgery - are effective when used in the early stages. When surgery is part of the solution, the options can be conventional surgery or a new robotic surgical technique, which reduces scarring and side effects in some patients.

Brian Hill, a medical device manufacturer, was in his mid-forties when found a hard spot on his neck 14 years ago. He went to his ear, nose and throat doctor, who dismissed the bump as an infection and prescribed antibiotics.

But a biopsy later found the lump was cancerous.

Though he had never smoked a cigarette, Hill was told he had a low chance of survival as the node in his neck was positive for squamous cell carcinoma, the most common oral cancer.

Hill has since founded the Oral Cancer Foundation and spends his time working with patients, doctors and dentists, as well as campaigning in Washington to raise awareness about the danger of oral cancer and the links to HPV.

"Anyone old enough to have engaged in sexual behaviors known to transmit this virus needs to be screened annually for oral cancer," said Hill. "It's the only way to catch this disease at its early stages."

Hill believes many doctors and researchers are still in the dark about the ties between HPV-16 and oral cancer, despite the rise in diagnoses in the past decade.

"We don't know exactly if or how long HPV-16 may lay dormant, or why it strikes certain people and not others," he said. "What we don't know exceeds what we do know."

Nearly all sexually active Americans will come in contact with HPV, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

Young women are encouraged to get the HPV vaccine, but doctors say there is little point in vaccinating patients past the age of 26 since the likelihood of prior exposure to cancer-causing strains is so high.

Young people now are having a lot more oral sex with many more partners so exposure rates are higher.

HPV is the most common STD in the U.S. About 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV. Another 6 million people become newly infected each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HPV is passed through skin-to-skin contact, not fluids. Besides conventional sex, oral sex and even deep French kissing may spread the virus.

Doctors are sounding the alarm, but have stopped short of advising men to abstain.

"This is not a call to stop having oral sex," said Dr. Mark D. DeLacure, a head and neck surgeon at NYU's Langone Medical Center. "People have to continue living their lives, however we make the best choices when we know all the risks."

DeLacure said using condoms and dental dams during oral sex could reduce transmission, but acknowledges the idea is hardly appealing or practical.

"Limiting your sexual partners is a way to reduce your risk," said DeLacure. "But still, there are no guarantees."

Doctors also have this advice: Don't panic.

Patients with HPV - even the cancer-causing strain - may never develop cancer and may never transmit the virus to a partner.

The vast majority of individuals have immune systems that recognize the virus as a threat and easily defeat it.

Doctors instead recommend vigilance.

The important issue is persistence - meaning attention to how long an unusual symptom like a lump has lasted. When an abnormality persists for longer than 14 to 21 days, it's time to see an expert.
"If you've got a sore tonsil that is still a problem after a couple of weeks and particularly if it's localized to one side, I would say that's sign it's time to talk to a doctor," said DeLacure.

And talk to the person who sees your mouth the most: Your dentist.

Dentists, too, are becoming more aware of HPV and its role in the development of oral cancer.

A good dentist will know what to look for and where to look for it.
lgoldwert@nydailynews.com
Source: click here

Here is a photo of what could happen to you if you get oral cancer:

This cancer has a low survival rate but if you do survive you may end up looking like this:

There used to be a time when eating pussy was safe but those days are long gone. Be careful down there.

Change in prostate cancer detection procedures

PSA testing is at risk.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has prepared a draft recommendation against prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening for prostate cancer. While not binding, primary care doctors usually follow USPTF guideline. Insurance companies have already begun discussions about ceasing psa test coverage.

The psa test has limitations, as well as benefits. This is no doubt that we need a better test, and we need treatments that don't put men at risk for impotence and incontinence. But, psa testing is what we have, today, in 2011and, likely, all that we will have for next few years.

I have been quoted in the N Y Times and other outlets about this. And, Malecare will be collaborating with our brother prostate cancer organizations to create an appropriate response from our community. But, we need to know what you think!

Please tell us how PSA testing affected your life. Go to http://psaandme.org and post a few sentences or paragraphs. You can post your thoughts with your name or anonymously. Without your voice, we are nothing.

Darryl

Darryl Mitteldorf, LCSW

Executive Director

Malecare

Men fighting cancer, together.

www.malecare.org

darryl@malecare.org

If you've been an unfortunate victim of prostate cancer then tell your story,who knows you may save another man's life. I don't know why they're playing games with our health but it needs to stop and it needs to stop now. If it takes sending emails then we can do that too.

More on prostate cancer

More on prostate cancer from Male Care:

BE THE ANSWER - Be part of our prostate cancer awareness photo shoot at the White House on Sunday, September 18 at 12:15PM. Rain or Shine.

Meet in front of the White House along the fence on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Look for the banner, "Prostate Cancer Pony Express." Be Part of the Blue Bulb Brigade!

•Show the World that you hate prostate cancer.

•Show America that we prostate cancer survivors, fighters, family, friends and doctors, are united and will not sit still until prostate cancer is beaten.

•Show the White House that Prostate Cancer Awareness Month means more than a simple proclaimation.....it's about our lives, fighting cancer, together.

For more information, or if you have questions or comments, email me at darryl@malecare.org or, on Sunday, email Robert at robert.hess@29000men.org

Darryl
Darryl Mitteldorf, LCSW
Director
Malecare Cancer Support
darryl@malecare.org
www.malecare.org

Blumhorst on prostate cancer

I was reading at the National Coalition For Men's website about an article by LA Chapter President Ray Blumhorst where he discusses prostate cancer. Here is what he said:

Prostate cancer strikes one in six men but gets very little funding for research
August 16, 2011
By NCFM
By Ray Blumhorst

President, NCFM Los Angeles

Here’s an important public service announcement from the Prostate Cancer Foundation called “Keep Dad in the Game. Keep Dad in the Game Youtube video

Prostate cancer strikes one out of six men, but prostate cancer research gets only a fraction of the annual funding that breast cancer research receives.

The number of men who contract prostate cancer is about the same as the number of women getting breast cancer. The disparity in annual, government research funding between the two cancers is striking and discriminatory, illustrating yet again the institutionalized misandry existing in Western societies, in my opinion.

This is an imbalance that must not be tolerated. We have to protest this imbalance.

Ray · 1 week ago
Of the fifteen leading causes of death in America: men lead in 12 categories, are tied in two with women, while women lead in only one category.

In America, there is an Office of Women's Health at the federal level, and one each at the state and county levels in Los Angeles , California. There is no Office of Men's Health in any of those places.

Wny is men's health given such low priority in so many areas by so many social institutions?

Ray makes an interesting and valid point: why is there no health commission for men like there is for women? That's because it is up to us to make that happen. The only way we can make that happen is to lobby our elected leaders at the federal and state levels and protest this injustice;that we will not stand for it and we need to do this in large numbers if we are to be effective. Send in those emails today without delay.

Also at the state levels is different that the federal level. For example in the State Of California the only service available to men is prostate cancer screening and testing,which is great but prostate cancer is not the only cancer that befalls men. There is also penile and testicular cancer that rarely gets discussed,even by MRA's,but should be. Now compare that to the extensive Women's health section. The Men's Health page,the Women's Health page and a web page where both are listed. Let us not forget the State of California Office of Women's Health but no Office of Men's Health.Now that we can compare how the State Of California views men we can conclude that the State Of California doesn't give a fuck about men and the brothers in that state need to do some emailing to their elected officials and protest this injustice. Other states may be better or worse so yahoo or google to find out.

Tell the President about prostate cancer awareness

Dear Mr President: Please Light the White House Blue for One Evening During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, September, 2011

Prostate Cancer affects the lives of millions of Americans. Whether by diagnosis, treatment costs, lost work and family hours and, even death, prostate cancer resonates pain throughout our nation, every minute of every day. Lighting the White House blue for one night during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month September 2011 will raise Prostate Cancer awareness by asking all Americans to consider Prostate Cancer’s impact on our country. Lighting the White House blue might even get some guys to think about going to see their doctors and ask about Prostate Cancer testing.

Mr. President, please light the White House blue to honor the more than 300,000 American men who have died from prostate cancer in the past decade; for the more than 218,000 new cases that will be diagnosed this year; for the 32,000 men in the U.S. who will die from it this year; for African-American men who are 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 2.4 times more likely to die from it and for the nearly 2.5 million American men and their families who are currently challenged by this cancer.

We, the undersigned, rally in support of lighting 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the people’s house, blue, this September.

Source:click here

There is a petition at the bottom of the Light the Whitehouse blue page please sign to help raise awareness of this disease. The life you save may be your own.