Lung Cancer: Blaming the Victim

It’s easy to blame the victim. It has become accepted by a large percentage of Americans that those who suffer from lung cancer somehow brought it on themselves, as if a bad habit should be punished with a terrible disease. There seems to be something wrong with the idea that smoking cigarettes deserves the death penalty. But even if you accept that idea, there are still thousands of cases of lung cancer suffered by people with no history of those bad habits.

Despite compelling evidence that lung cancer detection can happen much earlier, leading to easier treatment and much better outcomes, Medicare has yet to approve the necessary tests for at-risk patients. In fact, a committee made the recommendation that Medicare should not cover this important test. The committee dismissed the evidence in favor of the test as inconclusive, but even a cursory glance at the evidence indicates otherwise. In fact, the evidence for the efficacy of the test is overwhelming, and includes:

• Almost all other first-world nations having provided this test for years and testifying to its ability to detect cancer earlier
• A series of recent studies all showing the effectiveness of the screening
• The fact that a majority of lung cancer is detected in patients over the age of 65, most of whom are on Medicare

Blaming the victim is a terrible thing to do in almost all cases, but it is particularly dangerous when this mentality keeps people from lifesaving treatment. This mindset also ignores the societal pressures and company advertising that tricked so many into smoking and chewing in the first place.

If you or a loved one is suffering from lung cancer, or are at high risk of developing the disease, it is important that you get treatment and screening as soon as you can. Unfortunately, treatment and screening can be very expensive, and Medicare and the insurance companies are all-too-often not on your side. Please contact an attorney to help you explore your options to hold those liable to account and pay for the life-changing care that you might need.