Top-of-the-line methods to cease breast most cancers in its tracks is early detection (it works).
Although each lady ought to do breast self-exams every month, girls over 40 must also think about getting a mammogram — an X-ray that examines breast tissue — each one to 2 years. (Listed here are specific guidelines.)
In case you’re youthful than 40 however have danger elements for breast most cancers, you would possibly want a mammogram, too; ask to your physician’s advice.
However no matter your age, don’t keep away from mammograms due to their value.
6 Locations That Provide Low-Value or Free Mammograms
Ladies at the moment have a bounty of how to get free and low-cost mammograms. Listed here are six choices.
1. Your Physician
In case you’re 50 or older, the Affordable Care Act requires your insurer to cowl screening mammograms each two years with no co-payment. Extra data is available here.
Medicare and Medicaid additionally cowl the price of mammograms.
2. The Nationwide Breast Most cancers Basis
The National Breast Cancer Foundation companions “with medical services throughout the nation to offer free mammograms and diagnostic breast care providers to underserved girls.”
Click here to seek for a location close to you.
3. The Susan G. Komen Basis
This breast most cancers group has associates in 120 American cities.
Based on its web site, its affiliate community “is the nation’s largest non-public funder of community-based breast well being training and breast most cancers screening and therapy applications.”
To study what assets can be found in your space, search for your local affiliate here. Choose to talk to somebody? Name the group’s breast care helpline at 1-877-GO-KOMEN (1-877-465-6636), and the representatives will enable you discover low-cost choices in your space.
4. The Nationwide Breast and Cervical Most cancers Management Program
The CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program “supplies breast and cervical most cancers screenings and diagnostic providers to low-income, uninsured and underinsured girls throughout america.”
To qualify for this screening, you have to be between the ages of 40 and 64, don’t have any insurance coverage or insurance coverage that fails to cowl screening exams, and stay at or beneath 250% of the federal poverty level.
You’ll find out more information about your state or territory right here.
5. The YWCA
Some YWCA chapters present breast most cancers screening and training to girls who don’t have any insurance coverage or who’re underinsured.
Contact your local YWCA to see if it affords reasonably priced mammograms.
6. Your Native Imaging Middle
Based on the Susan G. Komen Foundation, many imaging facilities provide decreased charges throughout Breast Most cancers Consciousness Month, which is in October.
You’ll be able to seek for an area mammography middle on the FDA website.
To study extra about mammograms — together with how they work and find out how to put together — take a look at this PDF from the Komen Basis.
No matter you do, don’t wait!
Susan Shain is a contributor to The PNW. Former web optimization analyst Jacquelyn Pica assisted with analysis.