Prostate Examination

[Guest]

>I believe I once read on the web site of NIH (National

>Institute of Health) that an individual should think twice

>about getting a PSA. I would have to check their latest

>position.

>

In addition to the possible medical mishaps which often follow the finding of prostate cancer with PSA screening, when prostate cancer is found, regardless of the outcome, you can forget about getting private health insurance, disbility insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, and so forth. Insurers are very ignorant about true medical facts (my step-mother was unable to get long-term care insurance for decades due to having migraines!!). Yet many doctors just lap it up when their patients lavish them with thanks (and sometimes gifts) for "saving their lives," which is usually a complete crock.

[Guest Tristan]

You mention another very good point that many people don't know. Add MediGap to your list. For anyone who doesn't know, MediGap is a privately run supplemental insurance that pays what Medicare doesn't pay. An insurance company that sells and is approved for MediGap can refuse to write a policy if you have any single illness on their stop list. Cancer is always on the list.