Changes in access to screening mammography, 2008-2011.

Overview

Screening mammography is a cornerstone of preventive health care for adult women in the United States. As rates of screening mammography have declined and plateaued in the past decade, access to services remains a concern. In 2011, we repeated a survey of mammography facilities initially surveyed in 2008 in six states. The availability of digital mammography increased and appointment wait times generally improved between the two survey periods, but more facilities required payment upfront. Provisions of the federal healthcare reform law that eliminate cost sharing for selected preventive health services may improve access to screening mammography and prevent further declines in the rate of breast cancer screening.