JOHN: TONIGHT ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND, A HISTORICGLOBAL DEAL TO PROTECT MARINE LIFE ON THE HIGH SEAS IS REACHED IN DRAMATIC, DOWN-TO-THE-WIRENEGOTIATIONS AT THE UNITED NATIONS. THEN, AN INSURANCE CHANGE FOR A TYPE OF BREAST RECONSTRUCTION ISLEAVING PATIENTS AND DOCTORS CONCERNED ABOUT FUTURE ACCESS. WHEATON: WE NEED MORE PEOPLE ON BOARD ABOUT THIS. THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO CHANGEPEOPLE'S BODY IMAGES.
JOHN: AND, OUR HIDDEN HISTORIESSERIES CONTINUES WITH THE STORY OF THE FIRST HISPANIC WOMAN INSPACE. JOHN: GOOD EVENING, I'M JOHN YANG. DELEGATES AT THE UNITED NATIONS HAVE AGREED ON A HISTORICINTERNATIONAL TREATY TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY IN THE OCEAN. IT'S BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING AND ONLY MADE IT OVER THE FINISHLINE AFTER A MARATHON 36-HOUR NEGOTIATING SESSION THAT ENDEDLATE LAST NIGHT.
>> EVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'TLIVE NEAR IT, THE OCEAN IS CENTRAL TO LIFE ON EARTH. IT COVERS MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE, IS HOMETO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SPECIES OF FISH, PROVIDES OXYGEN FOR THEPLANET, AND PROVIDES THE LIVELIHOOD FOR BILLIONS OFPEOPLE. BUT ONLY 1.2% OF THE OCEAN HASANY LEGAL PROTECTION, LEAVING THE HIGH SEAS LAWLESS AND RIPEFOR EXPLOITATION. OVERFISHING THREATENSBIODIVERSITY.
ANOTHER THREAT, THE OCEAN'SRISING TEMPERATURES CAUSED IN PART BY CLIMATE CHANGE. THE MAN-MADE SCOURGE OF PLASTIC POLLUTION POSES AN EVER-GROWINGPROBLEM. LATE LAST MONTH, AS THE UNITEDNATIONS KICKED OFF A FIFTH ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS TO ESTABLISH ATREATY TO PROTECT MORE OF THE OCEAN, THE CAUSE GAINED SOMESTAR POWER. JANE FONDA: WE DEPEND ON THEOCEAN. YOU KNOW, EVEN DOGS DON'T POOPIN THEIR KENNEL BECAUSE THEY.
KNOW THAT THE KENNEL PROVIDESSECURITY AND A HOME FOR THEM. WE'RE POOPING IN OUR KENNEL. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SO SMART. WE'RE DESTROYING THINGS WE DON'TEVEN UNDERSTAND. >> THE OUTCOME IS CRITICAL TOREACHING ANOTHER UN GOAL, PROTECTING 30% OF THE OCEAN BY2030. OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS,DELEGATES FROM 193 COUNTRIES MET TO TRY TO HAMMER OUT THE FINALDETAILS. AMONG THE GOALS, CREATING ALEGAL FRAMEWORK TO ESTABLISH A.
NETWORK OF HIGH SEA MARINEPROTECTED AREAS, CREATING RULES FOR EXPLOITATION OF RESOURCES,AND CONFRONTING THE ISSUE OF OVERFISHING. >> THE SHIP HAS REACHED THE SHORE. [APPLAUSE] >> LATE LAST NIGHT, AFTER 36STRAIGHT HOURS OF NEGOTIATION AT THE UN, THE PRESIDENT OF THECONFERENCE ANNOUNCED THE HISTORIC AGREEMENT.
EARLIER I SPOKE WITH LIZ KARAN WHO WAS AT THEUN FOR THE MARATHON NEGOTIATIONS AS HEAD OF THE PEW CHARITABLETRUSTS' EFFORTS TO PROTECT OCEAN LIFE ON THE HIGH SEAS. I ASKED HER ABOUT THE FINAL PUSH TO GET THE DEAL DONE. >> IT WAS TRULY INCREDIBLE. THE NEGOTIATIONS STARTED BEFORETHE OFFICIAL STARTING TIME OF 10:00 A.M.
ON FRIDAY MORNING. AND WENT ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT INTO THE NEXT MORNING. IT DID NOT INCLUDE UNTIL :00 P.M. THE NEXT DAY. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR NEGOTIATIONS OF THIS KIND TO GOINTO A LITTLE BIT OF OVERTIME. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE SITUATIONWHERE BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY.
OF THE PACKAGE OF ISSUES BEINGDEALT WITH, THEY NEEDED THE EXTRA TIME TO PUSH IT OVER THEFINISH LINE. >> GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY AND HOWLONG THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS AND HOW LONG THESE FINAL ROUNDSOF TALKS WERE, HOW MUCH OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AGREEMENT ISIN THE DETAILS AND PROVISIONS AND HOW MUCH IS IT THE FACT THATIT EXISTS? THE COUNTRIES WERE ABLE TO COMETO AN AGREEMENT AT ALL — THAT COUNTRIES WERE ABLE TO COME TOAN AGREEMENT AT ALL? >> AN AGREEMENT OF THIS SCALETHAT COVERS THE HIGH SEAS WHICH.
COVERS TWO THIRDS OF THE WORLD'SOCEAN. IT IS ALSO AN INCREDIBLYDETAILED AGREEMENT THAT ESTABLISHES HEIGH — HIGH SEAS. IT EVALUATES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, ACTIVITIES IN THE HIGHSEAS, AND ALSO SENT OUT FINANCIAL BENEFIT SHARINGDERIVED FROM RESOURCES. AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IS ITENSURES THE TRANSFER OF MARINE TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE THEEQUITABLE IMPLEMENTATION.
>> WHAT WERE THE TOUGHESTHURDLES TO CLEAR BEFORE THE AGREEMENT WAS REACHED? >> I THINK TWO KEY ISSUES, ONE IS AROUND THE FINANCIAL BENEFITSHARING. IT REALLY IS UNPRECEDENTED. BASICALLY, IT ENSURES THAT BENEFITS ARE DERIVED FROMCOMMENTS AND ARE SHARED GLOBALLY. THAT MEANS THAT DEVELOPING.
COUNTRIES THAT ALSO BENEFIT. THOSE BENEFITS WILL BE IN TURN USED FOR CONSERVATION. >> IT IS SOME OF THE SAME SPLITS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN CLIMATECHANGE TALKS BETWEEN THE RICH INDUSTRIAL NATIONS AND THE POORNATIONS WHO FEEL THAT THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO PAY FOR WHAT THERICH INDUSTRIAL NATIONS HAVE CREATED. THEY ARE LOOKING TO GET THE.
BENEFITS, IS THAT RIGHT? >> I THINK FINANCIAL BENEFIT SHARING IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. IT IS AN ISSUE OF EQUITY AND ALLOWING FOR THE EFFECTIVEIMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT. THE AGREEMENT WELL HAS AMENTIONED SET OUT A PROCESS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, LARGE-SCALEPROTECTED AREAS IN THE HIGH SEAS AND THAT IS IMPORTANT TO PROTECTAREAS AND KEEP BIODIVERSITY IN A CHANGING CLIMATE.
>> THIS HAS TO BE RATIFIED BY MANY OF THE PARTICIPANT NATIONS,THAT IS RIGHT? >> IT DOES. WHAT OCCURRED LAST NIGHT IS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT OF THECONFERENCE FINALIZED THE TEXT THAT WILL BE GOING THROUGHTECHNICAL REVIEW AND TRANSLATION INTO ALL SIX YOU AND OFFICIALLANGUAGES AT WHICH TIME COUNTRIES WILL COME BACK ANDOFFICIALLY ADOPT — SIX U.N. OFFICIAL LANGUAGES AND WHICHT WHICH TIME COUNTRIES WILL COME.
BACK AND OFFICIALLY ADOPTED. HIGH SEAS MAKEUP 2/3RDS'S OF THE WORLD'S — 2/3RDS OF THE WORLD'SOCEANS. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEIMPLEMENTATION OF THE TARGET IS HIT RATE WITHOUT THE TREATY ITWOULD BE HARD TO HIT THAT TARGET. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JOHN: PRESIDENT BIDEN WENT TOSELMA, ALABAMA TO MARK THE 58TH ANNIVERSARY OF BLOODY SUNDAY,WHEN HUNDREDS OF PROTESTORS WERE.
VIOLENTLY ATTACKED BY POLICEDURING A VOTING RIGHTS MARCH. TODAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN USED THEOCCASION TO CALL FOR PROGRESS SINCE THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTSACT. >> SELMA IS A RECKONING. THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THE RIGHT TO VOTE, TO HAVE YOURVOTE COUNTED, IS THE THRESHOLD OF DEMOCRACY AND LIBERTY. WITH IT, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. WITHOUT IT.
WITHOUT THAT RIGHT, NOTHING IS POSSIBLE. JOHN: PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS PUSHED FOR TWO VOTING RIGHTS BILLSWHILE IN OFFICE, INCLUDING ONE NAMED FOR THE LATE CONGRESSMANJOHN LEWIS OF GEORGIA WHO WAS BADLY BEATEN AT THE EDMUNDPETTUS BRIDGE IN 1965. FORMER MARYLAND GOVERNOR LARRYHOGAN ENDED SPECULATION TODAY, SAYING HE WILL NOT RUN FOR THE2024 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION.
HOGAN IS A MODERATE REPUBLICAN WHO SERVED TWO TERMS IN HEAVILYDEMOCRATIC MARYLAND. HE IS ALSO A LONGTIME AND VOCALCRITIC OF DONALD TRUMP. HOGAN SAID HE WANTS TO AVOID ACROWDED REPUBLICAN FIELD THAT COULD HELP THE FORMER PRESIDENTWIN THE NOMINATION. IN BANGLADESH, A ROHINGYAREFUGEE CAMP ERUPTED IN FLAMES TODAY. UN AND LOCAL OFFICIALS SAID NO ONE WAS KILLED, BUT THATTHOUSANDS ARE HOMELESS.
MORE THAN A MILLION MUSLIMROHINGYA REFUGEES HAVE FLED FROM MYANMAR TO BANGLADESH OVERSEVERAL DECADES TO ESCAPE PERSECUTION. A TRAILBLAZING ADVOCATE FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS HAS DIED. JUDY “HUMAN'S” LIFELONG ACTIVISM FOUGHT DISCRIMINATION ANDPREJUDICE AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. HER WORK LED TO MAJOR.
LEGISLATION, INCLUDING THEAMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. SHE WAS FEATURED IN THE 2020PRIZE-WINNING DOCUMENTARY “CRIP CAMP”, AND WAS ONCE A SPECIALADVISOR TO PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON INTERNATIONALDISABILITY RIGHTS. IN 2021, SHE SPOKE TO THENEWSHOUR ABOUT THE MOVEMENT. JUDY: I THINK HAVING ADISABILITY REALLY HAS ALLOWED ME TO DO AND GET IN TOUCH WITH SOMANY THINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVEHAPPENED. PEOPLE LOOK AT US AS THE LABELOF OUR DISABILITY.
AND IT IS A PART OF WHO WE ARE,BUT IT IS NOT WHO WE ARE. JOHN: JUDY “HUMAN” WAS 75 YEARSOLD. STILL TO COME ON “PBS NEWSWEEKEND”, FEARS THAT AN INSURANCE CHANGEWILL LIMIT ACCESS TO A TYPE OF BREAST RECONSTRUCTION SURGERY. AND, THE STORY OF NASA'S FIRST FEMALE HISPANIC ASTRONAUT. JOHN: HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIESARE CHANGING THE WAY THEY REIMBURSE DOCTORS FOR PERFORMINGA COMPLICATED TYPE OF BREAST.
RECONSTRUCTION SURGERY. DOCTORS AND PATIENTS FEAR THE CHANGES WILL MAKE THE PROCEDUREINACCESSIBLE TO ALL BUT THE WEALTHIEST. ALI ROGIN'S REPORT IS PART OF OUR ONGOING SERIES “UNEQUALTREATMENT” LOOKING AT INEQUITIES IN HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN. >> THE SURGERY IS KNOWN AS DIEP FLAP RECONSTRUCTION.
IT USES A PERSON'S OWN BLOOD VESSELS, FAT, AND SKIN TORECONSTRUCT THE BREAST. OLDER, LESS COMPLEXRECONSTRUCTION METHODS USE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES, BUT THEYOFTEN LEAD TO COMPLICATIONS LIKE HERNIAS AND MUSCLE WEAKNESS. SINCE 2006, DOCTORS HAVE BILLED INSURANCE COMPANIES FOR DIEPFLAP RECONSTRUCTION USING A UNIQUE FOUR-DIGIT CODE. BUT NOW, THAT CODE IS SUNSETTING.
OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. INSTEAD, DIEP FLAP SURGERIES WILL BE BILLED WITH A DIFFERENTCODE THAT ALSO INCLUDES THOSE OLDER, LESS COMPLEX PROCEDURES,WHICH ARE ALSO CHEAPER TO PERFORM. DOCTORS AND PATIENTS WORRY THAT THIS WILL LEAD TO INSURANCECOMPANIES ONLY REIMBURSING THE VALUE OF THE OLDER, LESS COMPLEXPROCEDURES. AND DOCTORS MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TOAFFORD TO PERFORM DIEP FLAP.
SURGERY UNLESS PATIENTS PAY OUTOF POCKET. WE SPOKE TO SOME WOMEN WHO HAVERECEIVED OR ARE HOPING TO RECEIVE THIS SURGERY. DIANE HEDITSIAN: I'M DIANE HEDISTIAN AND I'M 68 YEARS OLD. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER AND I HAD THREE DIFFERENTLUMPS. KATE GETZ: MY NAME IS KATE GETZAND I AM 30 YEARS OLD. I WAS DIAGNOSED IN JANUARY OF2023 WITH BREAST CANCER.
LATISHIA WHEATON: MY NAME ISLATISHIA WHEATON. I'M 50 YEARS OLD. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER ON MARCH11TH, 2020. I HAD TO DO LIKE 16 ROUNDS OFCHEMO. JENNI OSIER: MY NAME IS JENNIOSIER AND I AM 46 YEARS OLD. I HAD A PROPHYLACTIC MASTECTOMYDUE TO A GENETIC MUTATION AND FAMILY HISTORY. I HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO GO.
WITH IMPLANTS, BUT MY BODYREJECTED THE TISSUE EXPANDER, SO DIEP IS MY ONLY OPTION NOW FORRECONSTRUCTION. JESSICA HEZEKIAH: MY NAME ISJESSICA HEZEKIAH. I AM 37 YEARS OLD. MY SURGEON RECOMMENDED THE DIEP FLAP OVER HAVING AN IMPLANTBECAUSE OF RADIATION. HAVING 33 TREATMENTS PROBABLYWOULD NOT SUPPORT THE IMPLANT. WAI-CHOO FINCH: MY NAME ISWAI-CHOO FINCH, AND I'M 65 YEARS OLD.
IT JUST LOOKED LIKE NATURAL BREAST. SO IT MAKES IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR YOU TO MOVE FORWARD. LATISHIA WHEATON: I'M JUST AMAZED HOW GOOD OF A JOB THAT MYBREASTS, YOU CANNOT REALLY TELL I HAD RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY. DIANE HEDITSIAN: I WAS EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS.
I JUST FELT WHOLE AGAIN. JESSICA HEZEKIAH: GOING THROUGHCHEMO AND GOING THROUGH RADIATION, YOU DON'T LOOK ATYOURSELF. YOU — YOU'RE A YOU'RE ABYSTANDER. YOU DON'T KNOW THAT PERSONBECAUSE YOU GET PUT THROUGH CHEMO, RADIATION. YOU BECOME ANUMBER IN A CLINIC. BUT TO HAVE YOUR SURGEON MAKESUBTLE CHANGES AND HAVE YOUR INSURANCE COVER THAT FOR YOU,NOW I LOOK AT MYSELF AND I'M WHO.
I AM BEFORE I HAD ALL MYTREATMENTS DONE. DIANE HEDITSIAN: I SEE TAKINGAWAY THE INSURANCE CODE FOR THIS PARTICULAR KIND OF SURGERY AS ANACCESS ISSUE. IF WE DON'T WIN OUR FIGHT TO GETTHIS REVERSED, IT'S GOING TO END UP THAT THE DIEP FLAP AND OTHERFLAP SURGERIES ARE JUST NOT AVAILABLE TO UNDERSERVED WOMEN. LATISHIA WHEATON: WE NEED MORE PEOPLE ON BOARD ABOUT THIS. THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO CHANGEPEOPLE BODY IMAGES. KATE GETZ: IT IS 2023. WE HAVE MADE SURGICAL ADVANCES. WE ARE DOING BETTER IN HEALTHCARE THAN WE EVER HAVE BEEN, AND WOMEN SHOULD BE SEEING THEBENEFITS OF THAT. >> JOINING ME NOW IS ELISABETHPOTTER. SHE IS A PLASTIC SURGEON WHOSPECIALIZES IN BREAST RECONSTRUCTION AND IS ACO-FOUNDER OF THE COMMUNITY BREAST RECONSTRUCTION ALLIANCE,AN ADVOCACY GROUP DEDICATED TO.
PRESERVING ACCESS TO DIEP FLAPRECONSTRUCTION. AND A NOTE, SOME OF THE WOMEN WEJUST HEARD FROM ARE HER PATIENTS. DR. POTTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. YOU ARE ONE OF A RELATIVELY SMALL HANDFUL OF DOCTORS WHOPERFORM THIS TYPE OF PROCEDURE. AND TO GIVE PEOPLE A SENSE OFWHERE DIEP FLAP SURGERY FITS.
INTO THE BROADER BREASTRECONSTRUCTION LANDSCAPE. DIEP FLAP RECONSTRUCTIONCONSTITUTED 17% OF RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERIES IN2020. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT GOES INTOTHIS SURGERY? DR. ELISABETH POTTER: DIEP FLAPSURGERERIS REALLY THE CULMINATION OF MANY YEARS OFSURGICAL REFINEMENT AND A TECHNIQUE THAT WE ASRECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEONS USE TO TRANSFER A WOMAN'S OWN TISSUE TOHER CHEST TO CREATE A NATURAL.
BREAST. DURING A DIEP FLAP SURGERY I REMOVE SKIN AND FAT AND BLOODVESSELS, NO MUSCLE FROM THE ABDOMEN AREA THAT IS SIMILAR TOTHE AREA THAT MIGHT BE REMOVED DURING A TUMMY TUCK PROCEDURE. BUT INSTEAD OF DISCARDING THAT, WE ARE ABLE TO CAREFULLY CONNECTBLOOD VESSELS IN THE CHEST SO THAT THAT BREAST IS THEN LIVINGON THE CHEST. WE CAN THEN MOLD THAT INTO THESHAPE THAT'S MOST NATURAL FOR.
THE PATIENT, AND THEN THEPATIENT MOVES FORWARD WITH THE BREAST THAT IS THERE FOR THEIRLIFETIME. VERY DIFFERENT FROM AN IMPLANT. >> AND WHY WOULD SOMEBODY CHOOSE THIS SURGERY OVER A BREASTIMPLANT? DR. ELISABETH POTTER: YOU KNOW,PATIENT CHOICE IS CRITICAL HERE. SO SOMEONE MIGHT JUST PREFER TONOT HAVE A FOREIGN BODY. THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THATHAVE COME UP AROUND IMPLANT.
SAFETY OVER THE LAST SEVERALYEARS. THE MORE WE KNOW, THE MOREPATIENTS ARE INFORMED ABOUT RISKS REGARDING IMPLANTS. THERE'S CANCERS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLANTS AND OTHERCOMPLICATIONS. THERE'S ALSO THE FACT THATIMPLANTS ARE NOT LIFETIME DEVICES AND HAVE TO BE, MAINTAINED AND POTENTIALLY REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES OVER APATIENT'S LIFETIME. IMPORTANTLY, THOUGH, THERE IS AREAL CLINICAL REASON WHY MANY.
WOMEN NEED TO HAVE NATURALTISSUE RECONSTRUCTION, AND THAT'S RADIATION. SO RADIATION IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE TREATMENT FOR BREASTCANCER AND FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE TO HAVE RADIATION, AN IMPLANT IS ALESS SAFE OPTION. SO FOR WOMEN WITH A MOREADVANCED CANCER, WITH A YOUNGER AGE, A DIAGNOSIS OR A MOREAGGRESSIVE TYPE WHO MIGHT NEED TO HAVE RADIATION, THIS ISREALLY THE GOLD STANDARD OF RECONSTRUCTION.
>> DOCTOR, ACCESS TO THIS KIND OF SURGERY IS ALSO ALREADY VERYLIMITED. LOTS OF INSURANCE PLANS DON'T COVER IT. SO HOW WOULDTHESE CODING CHANGES AFFECT THE ACCESS THAT ALREADY EXISTS? DR. ELISABETH POTTER: SO ACTUALLY, UNDER THE WOMEN'SHEALTH AND CANCER RIGHTS ACT OF.
1998, ACCESS TO RECONSTRUCTIONIS REALLY SHOULD BE GUARANTEED AT LEAST COVERAGE IT. ALTHOUGH IT'S DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT MONEY IN CANCER, ANDESPECIALLY TO TALK ABOUT PAYMENTS FOR PHYSICIANS, THIS ISABOUT PATIENTS. IF WE DECREASE THE PAYMENT TOSURGEONS, THEN QUIETLY THOSE PROCEDURES GO AWAY AND THE WOMANWHO FINDS HERSELF NEEDING TO FIND A SURGEON OR A PROCEDUREWILL FIND THAT IT DOESN'T EXIST IN HER COMMUNITY.
>> AND STAKEHOLDERS LIKE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THEFEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEY SAY THAT THIS CHANGE WAS ALWAYSSUPPOSED TO HAPPEN, THAT THE UNIQUE CODE THAT PREVIOUSLY WASUSED FOR THIS SURGERY WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE TEMPORARY, AND THATTHIS CHANGE MEANS THAT IT'S JUST A MORE MAINSTREAM SURGERY ANDCAN BE IDENTIFIED USING ONE OF THESE EXISTING CODES. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT? DR.
ELISABETH POTTER: I THINKTHAT THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE. THIS IS NOT THETIME TO BE TAKING THIS CODE AWAY. PATIENT OUTCOMES WEREN'TCONSIDERED IN REMOVAL OF THIS CODE. AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT INSURANCE COMPANIES COULD PLANTO CHANGE CODES OVER TIME, WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE ADISCUSSION ABOUT PATIENT IMPACT.
AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THISCHANGE. SO ABSOLUTELY. CAN WE WORKTOGETHER TO WORK OVER TIME IF CODES NEED TO BE CHANGED ORADDRESSED? YES, BUT A DRASTIC CHANGE INCOVERAGE, A DRASTIC CHANGE IN ACCESS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW. AND THAT'S NOT OKAY. >> SO WHO HAS THE POWER TOCHANGE THIS? DR.
ELISABETH POTTER: CENTERSFOR MEDICAID AND MEDICARE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RESTORE THESECODES. AND THEY HONESTLY HAVE THE POWERTO DO THAT PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOWTHAT PATIENTS ARE BEING ASKED TO PAY CASH FOR THESE SURGERIES ANDFACING DECREASED ACCESS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. >> AND DR. POTTER, THERE'S A MUCH BROADER CONVERSATION HAVE– A MUCH BROADER CONVERSATION.
BEING HAD RIGHT NOW ABOUTWOMEN'S HEALTH ACCESS. WHO GETS TO MAKE THESEDECISIONS? IS THIS SURGERY? AND THE CHANGES TO THE WAY IT'S DEALT WITH ADMINISTRATIVELY? IS THAT PART OF THAT LARGER CONVERSATION? DR. ELISABETH POTTER: ABSOLUTELY.
IT IS. THIS EFFORT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE FACINGIN HEALTH CARE. RIGHT NOW, WE NEED FOR WOMEN TOHAVE ACCESS TO CARE THAT IS BEST FOR THEM FROM THE PATIENTPERSPECTIVE. TO ME, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANTTHING THAT WE'RE SEEING. WE NEED TO PIVOT AWAY FROM JUSTTHE DOLLARS AND CENTS OF INSURANCE COMPANIES ANDSURGEONS, AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT PATIENT OUTCOMES AND WHATPATIENTS NEED.
>> DR. ELISABETH POTTER, ABREAST RECONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST AND THE CO-FOUNDER OF THECOMMUNITY BREAST RECONSTRUCTION ALLIANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. DR. ELISABETH POTTER: THANK YOU, ALI. JOHN: WE ASKED THE CENTERS FOR.
MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICESABOUT THE CHANGE. OFFICIALS SAID THE PHASING IN OF THE NEW CODE“ALLOWS MORE THAN TWO YEARS FOR PROVIDERS AND PAYERS TO ADJUST”AND THAT IT WILL GIVE DOCTORS AND INSURERS AMPLE TIME TOCONSULT WITH THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, WHICHADMINISTERS THE CODE. ♪MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, SO OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE'REHIGHLIGHTING STORIES OF WOMEN WHOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS HAVE OFTENNOT GOTTEN WIDESPREAD.
RECOGNITION. >> HELLO ELLEN. HELLO THERE, I'M UP HERE TAKING SOME PICTURES TOSUPPORT THE ATLAS EXPERIMENT. >> ELLEN OCHOA WAS THE FIRSTHISPANIC WOMAN IN SPACE. SHE LOGGED NEARLY 1,000 HOURS INSPACE OVER THE COURSE OF 4 MISSIONS BETWEEN 1993 AND 2002. >> ASTRONAUT ELLEN OCHOA IS MANEUVERING THE ROBOTIC ARM INTOA POSITION WHERE IT WILL BE FOR.
THE START OF THE SPACEWALK. >> AN ENGINEER, SHE DIRECTED HER FELLOW ASTRONAUTS ON SPACE WALKSFROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. ELLEN: OK EVERYBODY. >> OCHOA WENT ON TO BECOME THEFIRST HISPANIC PERSON TO BE HEAD OF THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER. ELLEN: THIS IS REALLY AN EXCITING AND IMPORTANT MISSIONFOR US.
WE WILL IN THE FUTURE BE PUTTINGOUR ASTRONAUTS ON BOARD AND WE ARE TESTING SOME OF THE HIGHEST RISKS. >> TODAY SHE'S AN ADVOCATE FOR STEM EDUCATION, AND HAS WRITTENA BILINGUAL CHILDREN'S BOOK “WE ARE ALL SCIENTISTS”. NJOHN: NOW ONLINE THIS , INSTAGRAM STORY ON AMERICANSLIVING WITH DIABETES AND THE PRICE OF INSULIN.
YOU CAN FIND THIS AND OTHER STORIES ON OUR INSTAGRAM, ATINSTAGRAM.COM/ NEWSHOUR. AND THAT IS PBS NEWS WEEKEND FORTHIS SUNDAY. I'M JOHN YANG. FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, THANKS FOR JOINING US. HAVE A GOOD WEEK.
