ACR Urges Providers and Patients to Continue to Follow Current Screening Mammography Guidelines
Confusion continues to grow over the recent U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) recommendations that women under the age of 50 no longer be screened for breast cancer. Women are wondering if their mammograms will now be covered by their insurance company and radiology practices are beginning to receive calls from women who want to cancel their scheduled yearly mammogram.
The USPSTF recommends against routine screening mammography for women ages 40-49 who are not at increased risk for breast cancer and clinical breast exam, recommends biennial versus annual screening mammography in women ages 50-74, and no screening for women over the age of 75.
The ACR would like to stress that the USPSTF recommendations issued were just that – recommendations. Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary of Department of Health & Human Services, commented that the doctors and scientists on this task force "do not set federal policy, and they don't determine what services are covered by the federal government."1 She stressed that there will be no change in Medicare and Medicaid coverage for mammography. In addition, before any changes could be made to Medicare payment policy for screening mammography studies, the change would need to be announced and a public comment period given.
The American Cancer Society and ACR continue to urge women to follow the current American Cancer Society’s breast screening guidelines, which are consistent with the ACR’s Practice Guidelines as posted on the ACR Web site.
The ACR will continue to aggressively advocate for adherence to the current ACS guidelines at the national level. The ACR is also on alert for any changes that private insurance payers might make based on these recommendations.
If you hear from any private payers that they have changed their payment policy for screening mammography procedures, please contact Kathryn Keysor at KKeysor@acr-arrs.org.
Click here for a copy of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid payment policy.
Click here to see the ACR’s comments on the USPSTF mammography recommendations.
1http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/19/mammogram.guidelines.insurance/index.html
