Breast cancer is a consistent news story we all see, in more recent times we've seen the challenges people face with their insurance company's getting breast reconstructions done.

This 2016 article in the New Zealand Herald, 11th Hour Shock, for Anna Jobsz who is having a preventative mastectomy and breast reconstruction is pretty typical of what we see.

This follows on from the high profile treatment Angelina Jolie had when she found out she was exposed to a high chance of developing breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a game changer. With over 3000 women and 20 men diagnosed each year, breast cancer wrecks lives. It’s not all doom and gloom however. If identified while it is in the early stages, a complete recovery is possible. The problem being, access to free breast cancer screening is restricted here in New Zealand.

Truth About Breast Cancer

It sucks. What more can I say?

Those that have been reading my blog and social posts on a regular basis will have seen I’ve got a particular bee in my bonnet about unfunded medicines. Partly driven from my view insurance advice needs to improve but also ensuring you have access to the best treatment possible when you really need it the most.

This blog article was updated and reposted here on the 3rd of October 2016. I have left this here for comparison purposes to show the impact of Sovereign's announcement on the 30th of September.

As I wrote in this article, unfunded medicines the real risk to you, if you’re a Southern Cross policy holder you have about a 6.3% risk that if you develop cancer you’ll have to find money to pay for your cancer treatment. If you’re with another provider who doesn’t have any contribution to your unfunded treatments, you’ll have a 15% chance you’ll have to contribute to your treatment.

The New Zealand Herald kicked off their five-part series on cancer today. Martin Johnson investigates the controversies in cancer testing and treatment and the moving stories of people diagnosed with cancer.

I've mentioned many times, here in my blog and many times to clients and frankly anyone who will listen, that our public health system, while good in many areas, often falls short in many others.

Managing medical expenses is a large area of risk management. It is also an area where people often don't spend a lot of time. Public health is an area where the government spends the most ($15 billion for 2015), which should be an indicator that you need to consider your options here as well. 

Medical Insurance Treatment Myths and Realities

My share of my blog post on Movember got a really good reply with some well thought out points that I come across with clients every day. Some are well founded and understood, others things have changed as has the approach. I felt it was worth a blog post by itself.

Susan’s original post:

Good on you Jon-Paul, admirable cause, but it is my view that Health insurance company don't do Health prevention, you have to pay for this type of health service even if you have a mastectomy your health insurance won't pay for a re-build for want a better word, apparently its plastic surgery and its not covered to have you looking normal after going through harrowing surgery and treatment...

When the subject of medical insurance or cancer treatment comes up, the discussion on non-Pharmac medicines usually follows.

What are non-Pharmac medicines?

Non-Pharmac medicines are where the government does not fund the drug or treatment being prescribed or recommended for a treatment and you will have to find the money to pay for it.

It does not matter what the stats are, if you are someone who needs a treatment and the government does not fund it, you want to be able to access it. Which is why, dollar for dollar you take the medical policy with coverage over the one that does not, even if it is a bit more expensive you probably still should.

Breast cancer, or for that matter any form of cancer, with women gets a reaction in the media. Breast cancer has certainly been the one that has had the majority of attention over the years.

In 2003, there were large headlines about access to Herceptin and its costs, especially as the Aussies had access to it from an early stage.

• Here in NZ, the budget at the time just didn't have the capacity to handle the cost.
• On the insurance side, there were only two medical insurers at the time able to offer cover, one that stopped not long after Herceptin hit the market, leaving 1 insurer providing non-Pharmac cover for new policies for nearly 10 years.

Now that we've got over most of the funding discussion on herceptin, it's partially funded rather than fully funded; other areas around cancer treatment are getting attention.

The health system is a bit like public transport. Something you take if you have to, but something you'd rather avoid. And just like the bus, it can be a pain to catch, sometimes it's right on time, most of the time it's full or you just plain old miss it.

Today's health system is markedly different from what it was even 5 years ago. It's starting to look like it's being rationed rather than provided as a free public service.

These articles highlight the plight of those subject to waiting for the public health system: