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Reports: Feds to acknowledge Ground Zero link to cancer

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    Will coverage for 9/11 responders be changed?

  • Duration 3:00
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Almost eleven years after the attacks of 9/11 there's word that the US government will now acknowledged that the people who risk -- their lives at ground zero.

May have gotten cancer as a result.

The first responders who rushed for the building as it burned and later sifted through the rubble there breeds toxic dust for weeks.

Many of them are now sick or dying.

Some -- already died.

But as it stands the fund meant to cover 9/11 related health problems includes only a short list of illnesses cancer does not qualify.

Now all these years later there are reports that may change.

Arthur Caplan joins us now he runs the division of medical ethics at NYU's -- going medical center as specifically what changes.

Well what changes -- the list of diseases eligible for reimbursement gets longer that's a good thing what's a bad thing is.

If you win into the debris in the aftermath of 9/11 and then you've got sick.

I think you ought to be on the list to get your care paid for without this list in other words I'm sick I was at 9/11 I tried to rescue people.

I think essentially want -- cover that everything.

Well there there was a time when they were unsure what was caused by what.

Is in that right here or at least claim that they did and it probably is true but you know ship.

It's one thing to say I slipped and fell my back is killing me I can't work I want disability we can argue about you know did that really happen.

Who caused that what's the connection.

If you're a hero and you -- into that.

Site.

If you got sick later and you could prove you're at the site my attitude is weren't we covering everybody and how long.

Is this process going to be do we know yet.

Well if you take time because you know even though you add diseases to the list -- -- -- -- back -- your doctors say I think that cancer is due to exposure to particulate dust and somebody makes -- well.

You know go out there and prove that it could be years before people -- compensation many might die before they ever saw a nickel because some of these people may not have.

Insurance and as a result may not be able to get the very treatment that they -- exactly so so the reason these funds become important is.

There's a lot of folks down there who might have had no insurance of the could have been people down there -- limited insurance or even somebody's policy -- miss -- you're not covered if you're in a catastrophe.

Again why are we haggling about this if you -- -- down there to help.

Don't we as a country -- -- take your view if you say you've got sick and you know you were there.

It it's it's a fair question and and I guess one that they're asking is.

In this day of difficult budgets when you want to make sure that the money that you're spending is going for what you think it is.

Things take more time maybe -- the body during a medical condition.

Allow house it's all true but I'm gonna say it again from an ethics point of view -- -- -- 9/11.

Let's treat you the right way here as the distance and there's much of any any wiggle room now.

-- -- my pleasure thank you.

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