Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program

Saint Mary's Mercy Medical Center Breast Center offers no cost mammograms (breast x-rays) to women under forty who are high-risk (mother or sister diagnosed with pre-menopausal breast cancer) or who have a palpable breast mass. Follow-up and referral for a surgical consultation are also provided if necessary.

You may qualify, based on your income and family size, if you are:

• Under forty years old
• Not insured
• Insured but not with a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Medicaid or Medicare*.

* Medicaid, Medicare, and most HMO's pay for mammograms if indicated for women under forty.

Do You Qualify?

• In column 1, find the number of people living in your house.
• Look at column 2 for your yearly household income.

Each Additional Member beyond 8: $8,150

You qualify if your income is equal to or less than what is listed on the chart.

Example: Three people making a household income of $37,550 a year qualify.

Breast Center Guidelines

Saint Mary's program generally affirms the following American Cancer Society guidelines for the detection of breast cancer in women who have no visible symptoms:

• Women 20 years and older should perform breast self-examinations every month.
• Women 20 to 40 should have a phsyical examination of the breast every three years, and women over 40 should have one every year.
• Women between 35 and 40 should have a baseline mammogram.
• Women over 40 should have a mammogram every year.
• Women with personal or family histories of breast cancer should consult a physician or Saint Mary's Breast Center about the need for more frequent examinations.

Note: A physical exam of the breast by a qualified medical provider is as important as a mammogram - up to 10% of breast tumors may be invisible to mammography.