Limits are being placed on profits doctors can make on some cancer drugs, causing oncologists to search for new income. Some fear these physicians may resort to prescribing additional treatments for some patients. Not just any treatments, though -- just the ones with the best reimbursements.

Until 2005, Medicare paid a markup of 20 to 100 percent for many cancer drugs. In 2005, Congress changed the reimbursement system to pay physicians just six percent more than the average price for a given treatment. This decrease has made it difficult for small practices to break even on cancer drug purchases because the purchases are not large enough to receive rebates or discounts from drug manufacturers.

According to a recent New York Times article, some oncologists have attempted to increase profits by performing chemotherapy more often, ordering more diagnostic scans, and by putting pressure on patients to make out-of-pocket drug co-payments.

Say it isn't so.

Health care coverage for working Americans is like a brittle tree in a hard wind -- and the larger limbs are beginning to snap. Between the years 2000 to 2005, 6.8 million more people became uninsured according to the latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau's Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division. Current data estimates 46.6 million people are without health insurance coverage. As employer-based health insurance continues to fade, government programs are taking up the slack -- up to a point. But given the lack of funding, there is only so much that can be offered.

In a statement issued by the Center for American Progress, "These problems did not just happen: they resulted from flawed economic and health policies which force Americans to work more for less. When it returns after Labor Day, this Congress should act to mitigate these problems by passing a straightforward minimum wage increase and extend health funding for programs like the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Moreover, policy makers should recognize the need for major change, such as providing affordable health care to all Americans and taking action to address growing income inequality."

Some are calling for a government-based universal health care system that guarantees health care coverage for all Americans. Others are suggesting a mix of private and public health care coverage. What ever the solution, there certainly needs to be one.

We can start with a shift in perspective and change in expectation. If you are working full-time for a company, presumably your efforts are helping that company make a profit. Health insurance coverage should not be viewed as a luxury benefit, nor should the largest burden of health insurance premiums be shouldered by the employee whose earnings just meet living expenses. Yet, this is happening every day in this country. The hard wind continues to batter the brittle tree.

Personally, I am not sold on a government-run, government-backed universal health plan simply because I have covered too many horror stories about rationed care in other industrialized countries. It seems a combination of programs might be the solution but the government and our elected officials certainly need to be held accountable for implementing programs that insure all Americans.

American Public Health Association Georges Benjamin is quoted by United Press International as saying, ""This is the worst news we've had all year. Our nation is not secure if we're not healthy."

Jo-Ann Campbell is suing her former employer, IntelliSoft Group of Nashua, a software company, because she says after her diagnosis of breast cancer they made the work environment uncomfortable -- and then they fired her.

According to the lawsuit, Campbell said Mary D'Amelio, the wife of the company's chief executive officer, John D'Amelio, told her she shouldn't be considered full time and should be reduced to part time, and Mary D'Amelio went on to tell her she was costing the company $10,000 dollars.

During breast cancer surgery and radiation treatment, Campbell said she was keeping up with the workload. Eventually, she was terminated. Campbell was a senior trainer who earned $55,000 a year. IntelliSoft denies she was discriminated against in any way and states they fully expect to win the lawsuit. You can read more details of the story here.

According to Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Dr. Susan Sabatino -- based on a study -- there are an estimated 660,000 uninsured cancer survivors in the US.

Because of the lack of medical insurance, or financial ability, two-thirds of uninsured cancer survivors younger than 65 delay seeking medical attention or skip buying needed prescriptions. The reason the study focused on people younger than 65 is because they do not qualify for Medicare health coverage.

Sabatino and her team share that they found almost 43 percent of cancer survivors with no health coverage said they had failed to get necessary prescription medicines due to cost concerns. In what can seem a normal life, your whole world collapses when you get a diagnose of cancer -- I cannot fathom the additional inner terror that someone diagnosed with cancer must face if they do not have health insurance or realize they cannot financially afford treatment or long-term aftercare.

NeedyMeds is a pharmaceutical prescription assistance programs resource guide for people who need help with the cost of medicine and other healthcare expenses. Founded in 1997 by a physician and home health social worker, NeedyMeds is an established and comprehensive online patient assistance programs database featuring over 350 different companies and programs offering more than 2600 different drugs and describes 200 state programs for low-income patients who might not be able to afford medications.

According to NeedyMeds, the website, which now averages 6,500 visitors each day and will soon reach a hallmark of seven million visitors in total, continues to add new programs such as Assistance for Specific Diseases and Conditions, Application Assistance, State Sponsored Programs and Medicaid Sites.

I cannot personally vouch for NeedyMeds, as I have not used them as a resource, but I am always on the look out for resources that might be of benefit to our readers. If you are in need of assistance in affording your medications, visit the NeedyMeds online guide and database. If you do use them, come back and let us know your experiences with NeedyMeds.