Health

Study: Over 20% of women won’t get key mammogram screenings with a deductible

The study surveyed 1000 women with breast imaging appointments at Boston Medical Center. 

By Clara McCourt

December 4, 2022

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Email
• 4

One in five women who get abnormal findings on their mammogram screenings will not pursue additional testing if there is a deductible, a new study finds. 

The study surveyed 1000 women with breast imaging appointments at Boston Medical Center. 

Its findings concern key screenings for women to detect breast cancer early — if a deductible is involved, 21% of women would skip additional testing, and 18% said they would skip the screening mammogram altogether.

Dr. Priscilla Slanetz, a co-author of the study, told WBUR that she’s concerned at the number of women who would opt to forgo necessary care.

“Anecdotally, I have seen patients who have delayed care for financial reasons, but I really was actually a little surprised it’s as high as 20%,” Slanetz said, “but it probably does explain some of the health care disparities that we’re seeing.”

As high-deductible health plans, or HDHPs, grow in popularity under the Affordable Care Act, the hefty out-of-pocket deductible costs may prevent people from seeking the care they need. 

While the healthcare act covers initial mammogram screenings, additional imaging — key in determining a cancer diagnosis — is not covered under most insurance plans, according to the study’s lead author, Michael Ngo, M.D., a radiology resident at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine.

“The screening mammogram is only the first step in detecting breast cancer. If the radiologist detects an abnormal finding on the screening image, then additional images and a biopsy are needed to determine if the patient has cancer,”  he said in a press release. “Our study demonstrates that out-of-pocket payments will discourage people, especially those belonging in the most vulnerable populations, from completing the last steps in the breast cancer screening process.”

The groups with the highest percentage of responses indicating they would skip additional imaging were Hispanics (33.0%), those with a high school educated or less (31.0%), those with a household income less than $35,000 (27.0%), and those covered by Medicaid or uninsured (31.5%).

Slanetz told WBUR that one of the study’s goals was to push forward a pending bill in the Legislature that would mandate that additional coverage, helping those with financial difficulties get the testing they need. She added that in the meantime, Boston Medical has a financial service group, but “many women are not aware that that even exists, so that’s part of the issue as well.”