The American healthcare catastrophe is simply too immense to ignore. The ACS made a major strategic decision. The organization determined that alerting the American people to the importance of screening tests will take a back seat until and unless the political class summons the will to radically overhaul our collapsed healthcare system.

In a stark departure from past practice, the American Cancer Society plans to devote its entire $15 million advertising budget this year not to smoking cessation or colorectal screening but to the consequences of inadequate health coverage. The campaign was born of the group’s frustration that cancer rates are not dropping as rapidly as hoped, and of recent research linking a lack of insurance to delays in detecting malignancies. Though the advertisements are nonpartisan and pointedly avoid specific prescriptions, they are intended to intensify the political focus on an issue that is already receiving considerable attention from presidential candidates in both parties. http://www.nytimes.com/...

These warnings aren't coming from a blogger named nyceve. This is from The American Cancer Society, a major player, a major American institution.

Gosh, there must be many reasons why the American Cancer Society decided they had to take this extraordinary step. Extraordinary times require extraordinary action.

Is one reason because more and more Americans are financing healthcare on credit cards?

Could another reason be the shameful just published U.S. Census which revealed that the number of uninsured Americans has skyrocketed to 47 million, a new national disgrace. Now we know even the family of Sandra Day you reap what you sow O'Connor is not immune to the consequences of this staggering crisis.

Maybe the American Cancer Society is also frightened about the nightmare consequences of the Bush war against America's Children.

Health Secretary Defends Insurance Cutoff WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. health secretary defended new eligibility limits in a federal health plan for needy children on Thursday, urging states to take responsibility for insuring more of their populations. . . .Medicare proposes strict limits on reimbursing states for families that earn above 250 percent of the federal poverty level, an idea opposed by many U.S. governors, including some Republicans. That limit amounts to about $50,000 a year for a family of four. "We believe (the program) was intended for low-income children," Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt told reporters in Washington. http://www.nytimes.com/...

Perhaps another reason the American Cancer Society felt compelled to go to these extraordinary lengths is because for-profit insurance companies like Blue Cross of California resist any efforts to make them abide by their contractual obligations to their policy holders.

Maybe the Cancer Society learned about the plight of an uninsured breast cancer survivor Pamela C. ("Pam") Brunaccioni. Maybe the Board of the Cancer Society sat together in a meeting and collectively said, this shouldn't be happening in the richest country on the planet.

With one breast gone, she had discomfort in her shoulders. But she didn't have insurance, and paying for a prosthesis and a special bra would have been very hard on her finances. http://www.masslive.com/...

Like I said, extraordinary times, require extraordinary actions.

That a charity like the cancer society felt compelled to join the access debate reflects both the urgency and the resonance of the issue. Nonetheless, Mr. Donaldson said it was "risky business" for the tax-exempt group. http://www.nytimes.com/...

Sit back now and wait for the smears to begin.

This time the sleaze merchants will direct their venom and their efforts to derail authentic healthcare reform against this venerable American institution.

In several comments, a few people have suggested that I include a link to the donations page of the American Cancer Society

Update [2007-9-1 8:38:44 by nyceve]::

This is directed most particularly to members of the political class who may be reading Daily Kos. This diary about the bold and audacious decision by the American Cancer Society to sound the alarm has remained at the top of the recommended diary list for over twenty-four hours.

The diary right below this one, explains in excruciating detail the common tactic used by the for-profit insurance industry to deny healthcare by practicing medicine without a license.

Gov. Spitzer: Why are Insurance Companies Allowed to Practice Medicine in NY State? http://www.dailykos.com/...

Understand very well, that the American people expect bold and audacious leadership and a bold and audacious healthcare plan from the next Democratic President of the United States.