For a long time, the United States Preventative Services Task Force recommended women start getting regular mammograms starting at age 50.
Women younger than that could make decisions on whether to get earlier based on their own family and medical histories.
However, that changed in May whenthe task force issued a draft recommendation stating that all women should get breast cancer screenings starting at age 40.
“They’ve seen an increase in women that are diagnosed with breast cancer at an earlier age,” said Venette Tess. She’s the Wisconsin Well Woman Program Northern Regional Coordinator that covers nine counties in northern Wisconsin.
The program covers the cost of breast and cervical cancer screenings for women whose incomes are 250% below the federal poverty level and who don’t have adequate health care coverage.
“Covered services are provided at no cost to the client through participating providers of the program. Not every provider is a participating provider. There is no premium, deductibles, or co-payments for any of the services covered,” said Tess.
The Wisconsin Well Woman Program recently lowered the age requirement from 45 to 40.
According to the CDC, about a tenth of all new cases of breast cancer in the U.S. are found in women younger than 45.
That translates to more than 25,000 women.
“We want to be able to get them that early detection if they do not have those insurances or are underinsured,” said Tess.
If you live in Ashland, Bayfield, Forest, Florence, Iron, Oneida, Price, Sawyer, or Vilas Counties you can contact Tess to learn more about the program and see if you qualify.
You can reach Tess at (715)369-6119 or vtess@co.oneida.wi.us.
You can also learn more about the program on the Department of Health Services website.
The Department of Health Services website still says the age requirement is 45.
The agency confirmed with WXPR that it’s in the process of updating its information.
