Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDoctor ReferralsCDC ProgramOrganizationsCancer CommunityQualityMammogram or MRI?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Doctor Referrals
CDC Program
Organizations
Cancer Community
Quality
Mammogram or MRI?
Freemammogramsare available with any United States health insurance plan if you meet specific requirements.
The Affordable Care Actrequires health plans to fully cover the cost of a screening mammogram every one or two years for women over 40 who do not already havebreast cancer symptoms.Medicare and Medicaidcover them as well.
If you don’t have health insurance or you don’t meet the criteria for coverage, you may still be able to get a free or low-cost mammogram. The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and local Breast Cancer Awareness events offer free or reduced-cost mammograms to low-income and uninsured people.
This article will outline various resources you can explore for more information on low-cost or free mammograms near you.
Echo / Getty Images
Ask Your Healthcare Provider
If you have health insurance, your insurer must cover a screening mammogram every one to two years, as long as you are over 40.
The average cost for a screening mammogram without insurance is around $150 in the United States.Adiagnostic mammogramcan be more expensive, depending on the tests your healthcare provider orders.
If you don’t have insurance, your healthcare provider may be able to give you information about free or low-cost mammograms near you.
Mammograms are an important part of staying healthy, especially if you’re over 40 or have significant risk factors for breast cancer.
National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) runs theNational Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program(NBCCEDP). It provides access to screening and diagnostic services for breast and cervical cancer for low-income, uninsured, and underserved women.
NBCCEDP is available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, six U.S. territories, and 13 Native American/Alaska Native tribal organizations.
You can get these mammograms through your state’s Medicaid benefits. NBCCEDP also providespelvic examsandPap smears.
How Breast Cancer Can Be Misdiagnosed
Local Support Organizations
Several national cancer support organizations offer financial assistance or access to free mammograms.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month Programs
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many facilities offer free or low-cost mammograms every October. Call your local imaging centers and ask what they may be offering.
One large nationwide organization that offers this is the YWCA through their Encore Plus Program. They also have services year-round.
What Is the History of Breast Cancer?
Check Out the Breast Cancer Community
Many options for free mammograms come and go. It can be hard to know when and where they will be offered. An excellent source for many people is to ask on social media.
Many breast cancer advocates (often survivors themselves) are passionate about spreading the word about free and low-cost procedures. Plus, many breast cancer groups on Facebook and communities are associated with several of the organizations.
Another good place to hear the latest news—such as the availability of free mammograms—is on Twitter. You can find the breast cancer community using the hashtag #BCSM, which stands forbreast cancer social media.
Does Free Mean Low Quality?
Free or discounted mammograms must have the same quality and care as full-price breast screening. Just because the service is free does not mean the quality is low.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspects mammography clinics annually. They check up on the machines and all the staff associated with their mammography program.
Under the Affordable Care Act, breast cancer screenings are only free if you don’t have symptoms of the disease. If you have a lump, for example, you can still obtain a mammogram but will be subject to your regular copay.
Whilemagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)is the most sensitive for detecting breast cancer, it can lead to many false positives and is costly.
Insurance usually only covers MRI breast cancer screenings for people who are high risk—those who have a 20% or greater lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.
Mammograms are still considered the best screening for breast cancer in those with average disease risk.
If you have alumpor other breast cancer symptoms, seeing a doctor is essential rather than getting a free screening. Other tests may be needed to rule out or confirm breast cancer.
In addition, supplemental screening withbreast ultrasoundor fast MRI may be recommended if you have dense breasts.Increased breast density carries a higher risk of breast cancer while also making tumors more difficult to see on mammography.
Fast MRI is considered more sensitive in detecting breast cancers than a combination of mammograms and ultrasounds.
Presently, screening mammograms miss roughly 20% of breast cancers.If you need a fast MRI, talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to increase the chances of your insurance paying for it—coverage is not standard.
Dense Breasts and Cancer Risk
Summary
Mammograms are a safe and effective way to help screen for and detect breast cancer, especially before you can feel a lump.
If you don’t have insurance, a screening mammogram can cost around $150. A variety of low-cost and free mammogram services are available. Talk to your healthcare provider about your financial needs; they might be able to work out payment plans with imaging centers or know of resources in your community.
As a screening test, mammograms are designed for people who are asymptomatic (do not have any signs orsymptomsof breast cancer). Symptomatic patients are considered diagnostic, and insurance companies aren’t required to pay the total cost.
Regardless, the price tag shouldn’t deter you from having a mammogram. There are various options and resources to help you find affordable care—consider contacting a cancer center social worker to help you find services.
Normal and Abnormal Mammogram Images
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Health Resources and Services Administration.Women’s preventive services guidelines.National Breast Cancer Foundation.The breast cancer screening crisis explained.Susan G. Komen.Find a local Komen.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Important Information: Final Rule to Amend the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA).Food and Drug Administration.Mammography facilities.Susan G. Komen.Options for women at higher risk.Bakker MF, de Lange SV, Pijnappel RM, et al.Supplemental MRI screening for women with extremely dense breast tissue.New Engl J Med. 2019;381:2091-2102. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1903986National Cancer Institute.Mammograms.Additional ReadingHorsely R, King J, Vegunta S, Lorans R, Temkit H, Patel BK.Baseline mammography: what is it and why is it important? A cross-sectional survey of women undergoing screening mammography.J Am Coll Radiol.2019;16(2):164-169. doi:10.1016/j.jacr.2018.07.002
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Health Resources and Services Administration.Women’s preventive services guidelines.National Breast Cancer Foundation.The breast cancer screening crisis explained.Susan G. Komen.Find a local Komen.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Important Information: Final Rule to Amend the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA).Food and Drug Administration.Mammography facilities.Susan G. Komen.Options for women at higher risk.Bakker MF, de Lange SV, Pijnappel RM, et al.Supplemental MRI screening for women with extremely dense breast tissue.New Engl J Med. 2019;381:2091-2102. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1903986National Cancer Institute.Mammograms.Additional ReadingHorsely R, King J, Vegunta S, Lorans R, Temkit H, Patel BK.Baseline mammography: what is it and why is it important? A cross-sectional survey of women undergoing screening mammography.J Am Coll Radiol.2019;16(2):164-169. doi:10.1016/j.jacr.2018.07.002
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Health Resources and Services Administration.Women’s preventive services guidelines.National Breast Cancer Foundation.The breast cancer screening crisis explained.Susan G. Komen.Find a local Komen.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Important Information: Final Rule to Amend the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA).Food and Drug Administration.Mammography facilities.Susan G. Komen.Options for women at higher risk.Bakker MF, de Lange SV, Pijnappel RM, et al.Supplemental MRI screening for women with extremely dense breast tissue.New Engl J Med. 2019;381:2091-2102. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1903986National Cancer Institute.Mammograms.
Health Resources and Services Administration.Women’s preventive services guidelines.
National Breast Cancer Foundation.The breast cancer screening crisis explained.
Susan G. Komen.Find a local Komen.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Important Information: Final Rule to Amend the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA).
Food and Drug Administration.Mammography facilities.
Susan G. Komen.Options for women at higher risk.
Bakker MF, de Lange SV, Pijnappel RM, et al.Supplemental MRI screening for women with extremely dense breast tissue.New Engl J Med. 2019;381:2091-2102. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1903986
National Cancer Institute.Mammograms.
Horsely R, King J, Vegunta S, Lorans R, Temkit H, Patel BK.Baseline mammography: what is it and why is it important? A cross-sectional survey of women undergoing screening mammography.J Am Coll Radiol.2019;16(2):164-169. doi:10.1016/j.jacr.2018.07.002
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