HisandHerHealth: Information About Sexuality, Prostate, Incontinence

Prostatic cancer is the most common cancer affecting men. A definitive and most common treatment to cure this disease is complete removal of the prostate, that usually results in permanent loss of erections. Many of these men are in their 40s and oral medicines such as Viagra, Levitra, Cialis are usually ineffective in restoring erectile ability. But penile implants, which are mechanical devices placed in the penis, do effectively restore erections in such men.

Yet many insurance companies have denied coverage for placing penile implants. They view erectile dysfunction (ED) as elective or recreational and not medically necessary. When faced with ED, especially at a young age, men become depressed. The marital relationship becomes strained and the patient neglects his medical treatments, becomes moody on his job and in other relationships, and turns to other sources of gratification such as overeating, drugs, or alcohol.

For these reasons, treatment of ED should be considered medically necessary.

In 1998, Congress passed the Women�s Health Cancer Rights Act. This law mandates that health insurance companies cover breast reconstruction following mastectomy for breast cancer. Is it not discrimination to deny men male rehabilitation with a penile implant following prostatectomy for prostate cancer ?

Three years ago the Coalition for the Advancement of Prostatic Urology (CAPU) was formed. During Prostate Cancer Awareness Week each year (in September) , this group travels to Washington, D.C. to enlighten members of Congress about this inequity and discrimination and encourage it to pass legislation, The Post Prostatectomy Cancer Treatment Equality Act, to ensure that all insurance plans cover post prostatectomy prostatic urology treatments.

Please write your senators and representatives in Washington encouraging them to sponsor and vote positively on this vitally necessary legislation. You can also click on this link and share your thoughts: CAPU@reedsmith.com

Dr. Mulcahy is the President of the Coalition for the Advancement of Prosthetic Urology, and organization of urologists and sexual health experts and is Past President of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America.

(September, 2007)