Artifical Everything

I love my Government, they are so nice and thoughtful. Every year my health insurance company sends me their yearly required literature, one of which is to remind me that I can be provided with benefits for Mastectomy-related services. Now I am not sure what exactly the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 states, but does it REALLY require that male plan holders get this yearly notice? I am glad to know that I might have some rights to reconstructive surgery so that my Man-cleavage would be symmetrical.

Side note to all the women out there, I am not trying to suggest that WHCRA is a joke or that women should not be entitled to such services under health insurance plans. I support healthy mammories as much as the next guy and totally support the cause (Yes I am man enough to wear pink).

I find all this, in your face, style of information very annoying. Yes, it is good that plan holders are made aware of 'governement' required benefits, that is all good; BUT should such information be required to be sent to plan holders that have no female members? If the Act really is for women only (known medical cases where men have developed breast cancer exist), than why send it to me. Everyone knows that I am perpetually pathetically single! Ok, so maybe not everybody but most people do know this fact about me; for those who didn't already know that or thought it to be a rumor it is in fact true.

Brings back memories of a shopping trip to the grocery store. While I was picking out some pink topped yogurt containers an advertisement came over the PA system for women's health. I think they called it the women's health corner. As I continued to shop I was made aware of the proper self check procedures, should I of course been female, and other information about female health. I don't classify myself as a sheltered individual by any means, EMT training has a way of ruining one's ability to be sheltered to gender based health issues, but I was a bit amazed with the health advice. Yes I do, and did, realize it was women's health month so such tidbits were not that out of place. I would like to know when we are going to get men's health month, complete with self check advice at the grocery store. It would only seem fair that we get equal time, when it comes to awkward medical advice in public places.

I wonder how many women out there known what Neuticles (or here) are and the medical controversy created by them?

Medical Controvery:
After Jim Webb's left testicle was removed he discovered that no reconstructive surgery was available...except for animals. So, Webb contacted Neuticles, makers of artificial testicles for pet owners, who offered him the large, collie-sized Neuticle. Then the FDA got wind.... 03/06/00

Most news syndicates have pulled their stories on the subject, so I am not sure how the FDA and Mr Webb solved their differences...