Mammogram coverage under Medicare won't change

MINEAPOLIS, November 18, 2009 - HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that federal health insurance programs will not alter their mammogram coverage policies, shortly after new recommendations were released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

The guidelines, released Nov. 16 by a federal panel of experts known as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, recommend that women aged 40 to 49 and at average risk for breast cancer talk to their doctor about when it would be best for them to begin mammography screening. Those aged 50 to 74 should have every-other-year screenings, rather than an annual mammogram, according to the new guidelines. As for women aged 75 and older, the task force concluded that there is not enough evidence to assess the benefits and harms of the test.

The American Cancer Society vowed to stand by its advice that annual screening begin at age 40 for women of average risk, as did the American College of Radiology agreed.