What if don’t have any health coverage?
If you’re not yet eligible for Medicare and have no other coverage, don’t let that stop you from getting your annual mammogram. Mammograms aren’t a costly procedure, and low-cost mammograms are available in most communities. You can contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 to learn about low-cost facilities in your area.
Medicaid covers annual mammograms for women over 40.
Are mammograms foolproof?
Though they’re the best tool available for early detection and breast cancer prevention, no, they’re not perfect. Mammograms can result in “false alarms” or “false positives,” which can cause undue stress. It’s also important to remember that, with your next mammogram a year away, it’s important to follow up on your screening by taking things into your own hands.
Self-examination between mammograms is an important preventive care measure. Know your body. Women who practice proper palpating (feeling) technique are often able to detect changes in their breasts in the early stages. The women who do breast self-examinations and detect cancerous growths usually have smaller tumors at the start of treatment than women who do not do self-examinations.
Self-examination is especially important if you miss a mammogram. Most lumps or changes discovered in this fashion are benign, but it’s much better to be safe than sorry.
You’re best advised to take matters into your own hands in another way, too. Don’t wait for your doctor or anyone else to remind you when it’s time to arrange your annual mammogram. It may help to choose a date or time of year that’s easy to remember from year to year. What about the time around your birthday? That makes perfect sense, because there’s no better present you can give yourself than the best opportunity available to kick breast cancer to the curb.
Remember, the odds are overwhelming that you’ll get a clean bill of health. But even if you don’t, if breast cancer is detected early you’ll be in a great position to plan a course of action with your doctor to win the fight before it becomes a battle. It takes about 20 minutes to get a mammogram, it’s a perfectly safe procedure, and at many centers you can get the results before you leave.
Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Medicare Supplement Plans can all go a long way toward providing the preventive care you need to maintain your good health. If you have further questions about mammograms, other Medicare preventive services, or any other aspect of Medicare, give MedicareMall a call today!
How do you usually feel after going for your annual mammogram? Leave a comment below and share!
Annual Mammograms – What Every Woman Over 55 Should Know © 2012 MedicareMall.com
Related: Komen.org-Information About Mammograms
What about the fact that has been recently published (leaked) that in the new health care plan digital mamograms are no longer going to be covered. Nor are pap tests for anyone over 65. I found this to be true when i had my last physical. Instead, birth control pills will be covered?
Hi Janice,
That’s a good point. Digital machines might be a preferred screening option over traditional film for many patients.
Digital Mammograms and Traditional Film mammograms have different cost to maintain, so it’s no surprise that Digital Mammograms might be cut if Medicare can provide the same service at lower cost for traditional screening machines.
http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/mammograms.html
As far as Pap test are concerned, at the time of this writing Medicare covers one pap/pelvic exam per year. If you are on Original Medicare, you will pay nothing.
http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pap-tests-pelvic-exams-screening.html
If you are on Original medicare and you still had to pay for your pap test. In order to be covered, you must use a Doctor that accepts Medicare Assignment. If that’s the case, I might suggest you contact the billing office and request a reimbursement.
However, if you have Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan. You might have to pay a co-pay, co-insurance or deductible out of pocket depending on the procedure and doctor as outlined in your Medicare Advantage Plan.
Medicare Advantage Plans replace your Traditional Medicare A&B.
As far as birth control goes, Medicare does not cover birth control nor contraceptives. I have read reports that Medicaid programs in certain states may help cover a portion of the cost of contraceptive products or services for qualified patients, but Medicare contributes nothing to it at all.
I am interested to know If you still have the source or a link to the article that states that Digital Mammograms and Pap test are no longer covered while birth control pills are.
Thanks,
Richard Thompson