More than 20 percent of patients, and one in three Hispanic women, say they would forego follow-up tests after an abnormal mammogram if they had to pay a deductible, according to a recent survey of 714 patients at the Boston Medical Center.
The study also found that 18% of respondents would abstain from breast cancer screening altogether if they knew follow-up care would have out-of-pocket costs. While Americans can currently receive an annual mammogram for free—it’s considered a preventative service, which the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover in full—additional imaging that can confirm a cancer diagnosis often isn’t fully covered.
- See “Deductible, Co-pay May Lead Women to Skip Breast Follow-up” on the Radiological Society of North America website (April 4, 2023)
- See the scientific paper “Effect of a High-Deductible Health Plan on Patients’ Willingness to Undergo Indicated Breast Imaging” by Michael Ngo et al.
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