Take Care of Your Girls, Mammography: What You Need to Know

[Anonymous]

Mammograms don’t prevent breast cancer, but they sure can save lives by finding breast cancer as soon as possible. Finding breast cancers early with mammography has also meant that many more women being treated for breast cancer are able to keep their breasts. When caught early, localized cancers can be removed without resorting to breast removal, mastectomy.

• They can save your life. Finding breast cancer early reduces your risk of dying from the disease by 25-30% or more. Women should begin having mammograms yearly at age 40, or earlier if they're at high risk.


• Don't be afraid. Mammography is a fast procedure (about 20 minutes), and discomfort is minimal for most women. The procedure is safe: there's only a very tiny amount of radiation exposure from a mammogram. To relieve the anxiety of waiting for results, go to a center that will give you results before you leave.


• Mammography is our most powerful breast cancer detection tool. However, mammograms can still miss 20% of breast cancers that are simply not visible using this technique. Other important tools — such as breast self-exam, clinical breast examination, and possibly ultrasound or MRI — can and should be used as complementary tools, but there are no substitutes or replacements for a mammogram.

When to get a mammogram

There's a lot of confusion out there about when and how often to get a mammogram. For now, the recommendation is that women get a mammogram once a year, beginning at age 40. If you're at high risk for breast cancer, with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, or have had radiation treatment to the chest in the past, it's recommended that you start having annual mammograms at a younger age often beginning around age 30.

[Red_Arrow]

To answer questions about whether insurance covers mammograms, Obamacare set some new rules, including coverage for preventative services. Mammograms are included in these. The following is a quote from obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-preventive-care/
"At least 15 free preventive services and one wellness visit are covered on Major Medical Plans sold after 2014 without copays and coinsurance, regardless of whether you have met your deductible yet. Services must be done in-network to avoid cost sharing."
So if you have a plan sold after 2014, which includes plans that have been renewed since then (usually an annual thing), then mammograms can be had without any copay or coinsurance, even if the deductible has not been met.

[aamy811]

This is awesome and saves lives.

by the way if this encourages you to donate money to breast cancer research please try to avoid susan G. They only give 20% of the money to breast cancer research yet there are many that are completely non profit.

[Remonster]

Sadly quite a few charities work this way. Way too much overhead, it's sad.

[aamy811]

@Remoster that's why when I find out abut in I try to inform people. You just have to remember to look into things before donating

[Remonster]

This is good stuff for the ladies. Thanks for writing.

[myTake Owner]

you're welcome :)

[COCOCHANEL]

i just wonder why ultrasound isn't the gold standard for screening. heard mammograms can cause cancer.

[MistiGal]

you are sure right on this one, there has been many studies that it can cause breast cancer, and yes opt for an ultra sound instead, its far more effective rather than having radiation poured through yourself with mammograms.

[HeatherJoanGaG]

Thank you! Pretty awesome to have a myTake about this.

I encourage all women I know to do it once a year, the fact that you can know if you have cancer or even before you have it because still if it is small whatever you have it's amazing.

[Octavion]

Do most health plans cover that? I really don't know. For some they may just not have the finances to cover it because if you have to pay out of pocket that's probably an absurd amount of money.

[dartmaul15]

or, you know, they don't live in the states and doesn't have to spend half a year's worth of savings!
A mammography here in norway cot about 1-2k norwegian kroner, or about 150-300 USD.
So not every country rip off sick people with artificially high medical bills. Just the ones with an extra dose of freedom and democracy

[Octavion]

@dartmaul15 Well good for them they don't need to worry but others do so it's a fair question. Norway has a substantially lower population and it's pretty homologous in terms of economic status between it's citizens so it's not as simple here. There's too much culture and economic differences between people here. Universal Health care is harder to implement here because of it.

[dartmaul15]

It's harder to implement because the culture isn't socialistic, that's the single reason for it.
The reason it's even over here is because the laws meant to regulate wages WORK, that we have strong worker's unions, and that the rich don't have astronomical wages compared to the workers.
Also we got a good social system.

THAT is why! So the only reason you americans doesn't have it is simply because your own egocentrism doesn't permit it. (and it's a shame, because ime and again, the scandinavian wellfare model seem to be dominating the lists over the best countries in the world to live in)

As for your question, i did some poking arround and from the very little information I could find it seems Utah is the only state where a health plan doesn't cover a mammography. Then again, i can't guarantee it's acurate information, so for the women out there i'd recomend taking it into account when getting one.

[kimberleyyy]

Thank you, this is really a good take. However, may I ask if chemotherapy affects the risk of having breast cancer? :)

[FrenzyP0W3R]

LOL, When I clicked on this link I was thinking it will be some tutorial how to take care of your girlfriend or baby.

[DakotaNorth]

At my mammogram this afternoon I'll ask how to do a self exam.

[Averageusername]

Id be happy to help out with your breast exam ladies

[Krushhbrownies]

I love mamaries. Take care your mamaries you fine ladies of the world.

[Genie23]

Awesome take... Thank you!

[Keyspirits]

Can small bewbies babe do this?

[Keyspirits]

@ArabianPwincess197 i dont think u can can u ma Pwincess ;P

[ArabianPwincess197]

Huh.

[ArabianPwincess197]

Omg you came back to GAG as a ghost

[ArabianPwincess197]

Because key spirits left GAG

[Keyspirits]

@ArabianPwincess197 i came back to stalk ma Pwincess that i promise to give ma amazon to her 🌹

[ArabianPwincess197]

Oh you mean Amazon gift card okay