Changing perspective on Mammograms

An article in the LA Times has research showign that only about half of eligible U.S. women are getting annual mammograms – even if they have insurance to pay for the exam.

What about the thousands of women that do not have insurance?

There are also studies showing that uninsured women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer, causing their risk of dying from the disease to increase by 20%. But it is not just the limited access to quality care or the unavailability of insurance that prevents low-income women from receiving mammogram screenings. Cultural, social and educational barriers often times prevent these women from getting screened and receiving life-saving treatment. HealthNet is here to make sure those statistics change.

A breast health campaign that was recently launched,  called “Whatever you call’em, check’em”, sent postcards in both English and Spanish to 1,239 women living in our service areas. The mailing featured funny “names” that people call breasts but emphasized the serious message about the importance of a mammogram screening. The combination of “light heartedness” and the call to action worked! HealthNet received an overwhelming number of uninsured women calling to schedule appointments and get on track to better breast health.

You can help us further our work by donating $25 that can help provide a mammogram for a woman living at or below the federal poverty level.

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