Dr. Cynara Coomer – thanks for this great article. I am so disappointed by this report. My wife is one of the 1900…given a fighting chance due to preventive care. She has been given a fighting chance…to life…to raising a dauther.

I wonder what the plan is for those women who have breast cancer in their families? I’ve heard young women with a family history of breast cancer need early testing. Someone want to explain?

mmm mmm mmm Welcome to Obamacare! mmm mmm mmm Present! mmm mmm mmm Michelle and I have great insurance plans! mmm mmm mmm The Congress has great plans, too! mmm mmm mmm Too bad for you. mmm mmm mmm Good luck! mmm mmm mmm

It doesn’t seem to give the Democratic Party pause to save money at the expense of the American woman’s health the same as it doesn’t give them pause to pay for abortions. I think 2010 and 2012 will be a time to send a message to all Democrats and Republicans. The American people are going to hold all of them accountable by using the strongest tool, our vote.

I hope everyone realizes that these gov’t “recommendations” of waiting to conduct medical tests, based on age, are just a precursor to what the gov’t WILL do when the Government-Run Healthcare (Obama Care) becomes law. In order to keep costs down, they will begin restricting tests and medical procedures, based on age.

I find this absolutely APALLING. I don’t know who the hell these elitists think they are but this woman is not going to stand for this. They are putting a price tag on human life and they have absolutely no right. Without adequate screening more women will die. Cancer is an ugly disease and it can rear its ugly head at any time and it can go from bad to worse in the snap of a finger. WAITING is not a solution. This goes hand in hand with the new “recommendations” regarding cervical cancer screening. Telling young women not to be more proactive about cervical screening is morally repulsive. 1 in 3 women have HPV. HPV causes cervical cancer. A woman can contract HPV and never know it because she was “advised” to obtain a Pap every 3 years. That is more than enough time for the HPV to mutate to the final stages of cancer and kill her. The same with breast cancer, in less than 6 months a friend (29 year old) was diagnosed with Inflammatory breast cancer that flew to stage 4 and nearly killed her! Digusting, repulisve and God forgive these idiots for devaluing human life. As a woman I will continue to be proactive about my care and encourage other women as well. I wonder what is next for men– no prostate exams until 60?!! FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS, WE NEED TO UNITE AND FIGHT THIS INSANITY!

I am a DES daughter, I started cervical exams in by 20’s. Due to this I have been one of the lucky ones and had precancerous growths removed safely. It is horrendous to think because I’m a women my body does not count; what about Prostrate exams for men – no comments on this from the Medical Review Board, I wonder if the majority are men?

Maybe Obama should be reminded that he has two daughters and that those little girls will grow up to have their own daughters. He needs to think more than just the bottom line on this one. Or, maybe we could take away the option for every woman to have a mamogram – even if she has insurance that her former president father forbid. That way it would be fair – I’m sure he wouldn’t want to stop his daughters from having an exam although he doesn’t seem to care a bit about the wives/daughters of others who will come under this loving public plan!

This recommendation and the recommendation that cervical screenings should be reduced to every two years from annually is incredibly shortsighted. Preventative screenings is never a bad thing, so this can only be a recommendation based on COST. Are we to understand that the cost of prevention is somehow more expensive than the cost of treating cancer. Utterly asinine.

This sounds like the beginnings of rationed health care to me.

It is also irresponsible to say that women with “high risk factors” should continue on as they have been. I am 27 now, but was diagnosed with breast cancer at 26. I have ZERO family history and ZERO risk factors. I am exceedingly healthy, I eat well, I excercise and run marathons, I have never smoked in my life and am not overweight; yet it happened to me… I am not an anecdote, more and more women UNDER the age of 40 are being diagnosed each year… This recommendation makes it even more difficult for us to have doctors take our symptoms seriously. There are still doctors in the U.S. who look at a young woman with breast cancer symptoms and then paternalistically tell us that we are “too young” for cancer and to follw up in 6 months. Cancer is younger women has been PROVEN to be more aggressive and faster growing and 6 months can mean the difference in stage 1 and stage 3. This new guideline is dangerous, not only for women 40-49, but for ALL women.

It is interesting that you are an advocate for screening, but probably shun the idea of universal coverage of health care. How can you encourage all women to be screened when you can’t pay for the tests? If you are interested in preventive care and survival, then you should probably make sure that women have access to a doctor first. Making the screening tests more realistic for people, and limiting health care that does not provide significant benefits, is a more cost-effective and humane solution than allowing health insurance to be unaffordable and not encouraging universal coverage. If you want to save women, give them health care first!

I’m glad I’m not the only one out there outraged by this! And now they don’t want us to get pap tests either? I am not a permiscuous person and last year they found that I had abnormal cells in my cervix, most likely from hpv. Not all cases go away on their own and mine were getting worse. They are gone now but who knows if I would’ve developed cancer if I had not had a pap test for another year. Rediculous!!!

Why don’t we hear the out cry from women in the general news media about how this adminstration will be pushing rationing of health care on the female segment of America. I have two daughters and a wife that I now know will be put in a higher risk pools with the actions of the ill informed Washington Gang.

Wake up Amercia. Will we let this to continue? Men you are not safe we will be the next to be placed on the chopping block.

Yes. This administration has decided how much you are worth based on your age. So call it death panel or whatever you like, but a rose by anyother name is still a rose, and if it is brown and stinks, you know what that is, too. This has socialism written all over it, and if you don’t recognize it you have your eyes and ears closed. Anyone who would vote for ANYONE based solely on race deserves what this administration is getting ready to do to you. For all of our sakes, all people of all races need to band together against this left wing radical administration that is trying to destroy our freedoms guaranteed to us by our Constitution. This administration does not recognize the Consitution nor the laws of this land. Obama, a lawyer, knows full well what he is doing. He surrounded himself with like minded individuals who worship Chairman Mao and want to further black extremists agenda. This will not help the “African-Americans, Mexican-Americans or anyother-Americans”! This degrades Americans of all races because it unfairly redistributes resources and overwhelms our financial system which THEY KNOW will lead to a one world order. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Obama had his eyes on the supreme leader roll for himself. Imagine, Supreme Leader Obama over the entire world. Impeach!

It’s no surprise that the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force would be behind this! Who is the head of this agency anyway, Zeke Emanuel? Did you know that he wrote an article about health care rationing in the medical journal Lancet on January 31, 2009 stating that the life of an elderly person isn’t worth spending as much on since they have less remaining natural lifespan anyway? It’s all part of the conspiracy to thin out the needy who need medical care and decrease expenses. The more people that die the less the government has to fork out to treat them. And you want to vote for a government run health care system? Stopping self exams is like saying, “Go out and play in the highway and ignore those cars that might be coming at you!” This is more reason why we need to purge the scum from our government and replace them with people who represent “the people” and not themselves, the self-serving pantloads! It is a slap in the face to all of our seniors who have worked so hard all their lives and contributed towards a life of retirement expecting to not have to worry about being taken care of in their golden years. What a great government we have who look down on those who do become ill and wish them dead so that they can stuff more money into their pockets. You will never convince me that these people are looking out for the best interest of the American people when they cut the cost of living allowance but give themselves a raise and keep a Golden Health Care plan.

Everyone asks if this means insurance will deny cover – the answer – INSURANCE WILL NOT COVER THE TESTS BASED ON THESE GUIDLINES ….. How do I know?
Already there! Those military families on TRICARE, a govt run health care program, HAVE ALREADY been on the “every 3 year plan” when it comes to pap tests for the insurance to pay.
The point EVREYONE misses is this – MOST women’s “annual” preventative care occurs at the time she goes for those “annual exams” ie blood work drawn to screen for diabetes, cholesterol, thyroid, etc …. When take away the “annual” reason they visit doctor they will be less likely to go to doctor to be screened annually for everything else.

Go back and play the little snipets of all the DEM. WOMEN in house who specifically got up to “ammend their remarks” who took that time to address a womans health issue ….. and in less than a week how it is the womans health issues being assulted ….. wonder if they are supportive now?

Just the start of many more beaucratic cuts to come if this stupid bill passes!

It’s no surprise that the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force would be behind this! Who is the head of this agency anyway, Zeke Emanuel? Did you know that he wrote an article about health care rationing in the medical journal Lancet on January 31, 2009 stating that the life of an elderly person isn’t worth spending as much on since they have less remaining natural lifespan anyway? It’s all part of the conspiracy to thin out the needy who need medical care and decrease expenses. The more people that die the less the government has to fork out to treat them. And you want to vote for a government run health care system? Stopping self exams is like saying, “Go out and play in the highway and ignore those cars that might be coming at you!”

This was inevitable, and it will get more fatal. If this Health Act of Genocide and Infanticide is allowed to become fact. The over one hundred beauracracies, will be radical orgs. SEIU, Black Panther, LA RAza, AFL CIO, ACORN, Will be the enforcers of the mandates. This is a pure form of communism, with Maoism, as a added incentive. These entities will rake in billions, and will keep the ovens burning, because I quarantee with the amount of human death , there will not be the eco correctness t o bury all.
And Harry Reid and the liberal anti american entities are all aware of it.
This entire Obam regime is the epitamy of COLD< if you look at any of them, There is not a spark of life in their eyes. They are nazi zombies. The same with the democrats, the only time they have any life in their zombie existence is when they are taking our money or institutting death mandates.

This entire Health Mandate is a death notice t o all wh o will need care, disabled, chronic ill, and acute care will just be temporary, till the death panel decides if your worth the dime to save you. And then you will have to get by the radical orgs, and the union boots in your back.
Bascicly this is a intelligent mandated holocaust. Since all in power will not be mandated to enroll. Their s will be for the elite.
Two castes of people , those in power , and those who will service them.

Yes the women, who have traditionally lower researcj money put into female health issues, are now being told – oh you don’t need them so often. Anyone hear whether a prostrate exam – is needed as often? I think not. We are already getting a preview of these healthcare priorities for women.

And so the highest sexual activity is among the twentys – when genital warts are most likely to occur – any one know another test to detect that?

This is a perfect example of how Gov. backed healthcare is going to operate. Just negate the fact that proper preventive care is paramount into the health of all individuals. Does this not show that the goverment feels that the cost savings in the delay of diagnosis far outways the overall health of an individual? I think it’s pretty obvious. Save a dime and put your life in jeapordy, that is how they are going to operate. Another question for some of you. How many times have you heard physicians say that “if we only had caught this earlier it would have been easier to treat”? The governments decision on preventive care for breast cancer as well as cervical exams for women just makes that statement null and void. At some point there will be no “if we caught it earlier”. One more thing, this is just the beginning, just wait and see what else they decide on behalf of all Americans. Can’t wait for that one.

Thank you for the wonderful article! I would not be sitting here responding to this if it hadn’t been for aggressive doctors and testing. This is just the tip of the iceberg from what we can expect from Obamacare — Godl help us all! Remember, especially ladies, be your own strong advocate — you know your body like no one else does.

This is a preamble to the health scare bill. Getting people used to waiting longer for health care. The bill is a bad one and so are these guidlines.

I got a call back this week from my doctor asking me to return for further testing as a result of my mamogram last week. (one day after I heard the Government report about mamograms) I am 47 and have been having mamograms since I was 40. I don’t have the results back from my second test yet, but if not for the base-line testing, how would they know what to look for when you are approaching 50? This is one of the many rediculous things coming out of Washington lately. When will it end? Possibly 2012?

Cost Cost Cost … it costs too much, that is why. You can’t save every life no matter what the cost.

This is a great example of government involvement in health care.
My message to them: LEAVE US ALONE!

I’m utterly amazed at these reports. According to these guidelines I won’t have a second mammogram for another twelve years. Women fought long and hard and many died while trying to get testing in place and now they’re reducing it.

I’m wondering if they will be recommending reduction in the frequency of prostate exams for men. After all, all of those exams that show “enlarged prostate” but then come back without cancer are just wasted tests right? Or how about PSA blood tests? Do men really need those tests?

I believe any test available to prevent cancer should be available to all patients who choose to take advantage of them. Under these guidelines, only those who can pay for the tests before the government mandated timeframe will be able to hope for early detection of these fatal diseases.

I have both a mammogram and cervical exam each year. I come from the original house of Cancer. My mother died of Ovarian Cancer. Last year’s cervical exam was fine, I failed this year and just had surgery. Fortunately I do not have Cancer. But if I had not had my exam each year I could have been in serious trouble down the road.

Once size medical care does not fit all. Everyone is different, their health histories are different, family backgrounds are different. These decisions should be made by the patient and their doctor, not some guy in Washington. Butt Out!

You all see where this is going, don’t you? Welcome to the beginning of the joys of government health care. Putting a price on life in order to defray cost is just the start; then making suggestions regarding when we should seek care… do we really want them meddling in our well being?

Why are they targeting women? First the mamogram and, within the week,now the need to have fewer pap smears. They alway take away from women first. Why are not women standing up and taking control ? The reason for this is cost control and nothing more. this is healthcare rationing and it is starting with us. They say we can be tramatized by these exam. do they think we are so weak that the next step is to prescribe valium for our weaker sex. Lets just return to those good old days, NO, women are strong . Vaginal exams for sexually active women are not tramatic and false /positive mammograms are not traumatic. Tramatic is to get the cancer having it ignored ,and now it has spread. Now it will be not only tramatic but also tragic. They are leading us into the dark ages in womens health and it will be too late for woment to protect themselfs.these are death panels, maybe we should be afraid and just take the valium and keep our mouths shut, it seem that this is what they want but I don’t think so. U.S. women are strong and independent. Speak up before it is too LATE. Look at who is telling you what you need and don’t need. Any women on these panel, how many women are in the house and senate that can speak for you, and I don’t mean Nancy Pelosi as she has her own agenda. Where are the womens groups and the elected women? Are they all on the valium to numb there senses and to keep them inline. What a sad time for woment it is. Please stand up for us. Please.

I am thinking that men could save $ by NOT getting circumcised till age 50, or DELAY till age 60 that all important prostate exam, or maybe they could save women’s ” nervous breakdowns” by volunteering to have their hearts removed, inasmuch as they dont even work, or maybe their their brains removed, as they dont think either. What the????

Everything women have been taught to detect early cancer has changed. Yes, there is a price on a woman’s head. This price started to become obvious with this administration. I feel sure there will be minimal treatment and the least effective form of treatment without regard to what drugs are most effective for a specific type of cancer.
Only survival of the fittest. If anyone of you doesn’t think this applies to you, you had better think twice. If an unborn baby that isn’t wanted is allowed to be killed, or a full-term baby is allowed to die, then your life has no greater value.

I am very disappointed in the recommendation of screening for breast cancer and cervical cancer.
The reason for the decline of deaths from these cancers is due to early detection take away that and you will see a rise in deaths. We don’t stop immunizations because there is no longer out break of disease why do we need to stop testing. One year my pap came back normal, the next
was abnormal by the time the results had been checked again and a LEEP procedure performed total of 6 to 8 weeks from initial abnormal A typia cell it had progressed to stage 3 precancer. The doctor told me that I would not have been alive in a year if it was not for the early detection because it was so aggressive. How can they say change pap smear to every 2 years I would have died before my 30th birthday and left 3 young children behind. I know of many young women who have had breast cancer what would have happened if they would not have had a mammogram they would not have been here. In their efforts to save insurance companies money they are risking womens health. Our lives are worth more than the cost of these tests.

Dr. Coomer, I’m in complete agreement! As an RN and someone with a family history of breast cancer, this panel’s recommendation is outrageous. I personally know more women diagnosed with breast cancer in their 30’s and 40’s than older women. In addition, the “new guidelines” for PAP smears also seem questionable, particularly the claim that too frequent smears and other interventions for HPV might cause a higher rate of premature labor and deliveries. As a result of following Dr. Joel Brind and Dr. Angela Lanfranchi’s work at the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute studying the abortion/breast cancer link, I think it is very important also to publicize the increased risks of miscarriage, premature labor, and much higher rates of breast cancer in young women who have had an abortion before any full-tem pregnancy. If the incidence of breast cancer increases in young women due to any of these causes, but widespread screening is decreased and less insurance coverage is available, our society is in big trouble!
Joyce Roof

ACOG disagrees and advises continued screening mammography between ages 40-49. The government’s NCI disagrees as well. The HHS Secretary denies any intent on the part of HHS to change payment rules however it is under the Secretary’s authority that this USPSTF exists (42 USC 299b-4) and it exists for providing just that; advisement regarding health insurance payment for aged and disabled (42 USC>Chapter 7>XVIII>E). Now the USPSTF is to become the Task Force on Clinical Preventive Services under current Reform? A permanent Task Force? Members exempt from disclosure laws?
The current USPSTF is hardly a group of ‘independent’ experts. Half of the current members work full-time for the Government, CDC, HHS, NIH, or their ‘local health department’. Their current failure to disclose potential conflicts of interest is disturbing. How hard is it to simply state “I work for the CDC as a field epidemiologist” or “my State Department of Health received millions of dollars from the federal government” or “my Arizona State University bioinformatics department gets a bunch of taxpayer dough too”.
Watch closely, this is the spot where we learn about the Executive Branch’s intent to be the “overseers of quality health care in America”. Oh, and since the USPSTF was “periodically convened” by the Secretary of HHS, maybe she needs to consider reconvening with a different group of slightly more independent experts.
RD Heckard M.D.

ACOG disagrees and advises continued screening mammography between ages 40-49. The government’s NCI disagrees as well. The HHS Secretary denies any intent on the part of HHS to change payment rules however, it is under the Secretary’s authority that this USPSTF exists (42 USC 299b-4) and it exists for providing just that; advisement regarding health insurance payment for aged and disabled (42>7>XVIII>E).
Now the USPSTF is to become the Task Force on Clinical Preventive Services under current Reform? A permanent Task Force? Members exempt from disclosure laws?
The current USPSTF is hardly a group of ‘independent’ experts. If you work for HHS, NIH, CDC, or your local State Health are you “independent”? Since the USPSTF was “periodically convened” by the Secretary of HHS, maybe she needs to consider reconvening with a different group of slightly more independent experts.

To Rebecca S.;; You just don’t get it do you? are you simply misinformed?

To make it clear, you may be one of many females that may find you have cancer on one of your every two year check ups. By then it may have spread to stage 4. All your family and friends will miss you…

Bobby H….

So why not start at age 35? How about 30? 25? 20? Isn’t drawing the line at age 40 just as arbitrary as drawing it at 50?

As a practicing family physician I have to say that most of the comments here are amazing. Amazingly simplistic and just plain idiotic (sorry).
1) The USPSTF has NOTHING to do with the Obama administration and there proposed health plan. (As witnessed by the administration’s immediate distancing from the rec’s.
2) Maybe women in their 40’s should get mammograms, but why not women in there 30’s. As evidenced by some comments earlier, there are plenty of women in their 30’s who get cancer. Why not women in their 20’s? The line has to be drawn somewhere. Reasonable people can debate WHERE it should be drawn, but much of this “debate” is just yelling that “I don’t like change.”
3) There has also been a cry about the change in the PAP smear recommendations. Actually it’s not much of a change. If you’re not comfortable with testing every three years, why not test every 6 months? (as I ask some patients) Do you think there’s something special about annual exams that correlate with how the disease/cancer grows?
4) the biggest frustration I have with the crying about the recommended changes is the unwillingness to let science advise us. Perhaps the recommendations are wrong; okay, let’s figure it out. But to ASSUME that annual is better and then to see a gov’t plot in all this is just ridiculous.

Amen Joe Mitchell!

mammogram found three tumors in my left breast at age 44. I distrust everyone in Washington