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| | | A mammogram is a breast X-ray used for early detection of breast cancer. It is recommended yearly starting at age 40. A clinical breast examination, in which a doctor or nurse examines the breast for lumps or irregularities, is recommended once every three years starting at age 20, then once a year at age 40 and up. | | |
| Typical costs: | - For an uninsured patient, typical full-price cost of a mammogram ranges from $80 to $120 or more, with an average of about $102, according to Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. Some providers charge more, and some offer an uninsured discount. For example, at the Kapiolani Medical Center in Aiea, Hawaii, where the full price is about $212, an uninsured patient would pay about $127 to $148.
- Mammograms usually are covered by health insurance for women in the recommended age bracket. Many states require health insurance companies to cover regular mammograms, usually after age 40. The National Women's Law Center offers a state-by-state chart.
- For women covered by health insurance, some plans require no out-of-pocket expenses, while others charge a co-pay, generally between $10 and $35.
- A clinical breast exam is much less expensive, and usually is included as part of a general or gynecological check-up.
What should be included: | - The mammogram technician places the breast between two plastic plates, which compress the breast tissue so a clear X-ray can be taken. The procedure takes about 20 minutes.
- The American Cancer Society offers a primer on early detection of breast cancer. Only two to four of every 1,000 women who undergo a mammogram end up receiving a diagnosis of cancer.
- In a clinical breast exam, the doctor or nurse manually checks the breasts, lymph nodes and nipples for any palpable irregularities.
Additional costs: | - Women at high risk for breast cancer, such as those with a known breast cancer gene mutation, should consider getting an MRI each year in addition to a mammogram, according to the American Cancer Society.
- If an irregularity is found, more testing or follow-up testing might be required. About 10 percent of women who have a mammogram require more tests, usually just another mammogram. However, about 8 to 10 percent do require a biopsy.
Discounts: | - During the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, some community or women's groups offer free or very low-cost mammograms, sometimes using a mobile clinic. To find a program, call the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Care Helpline at 1-800 I'M AWARE (1-800-462-9273). Or contact the YWCA's ENCOREplus program any time for a referral for a free or low-cost mammogram.
- Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website to find a program in your area that offers low-cost or free mammograms to uninsured and underinsured women who qualify.
Shopping for a mammogram: | - If you have health insurance, consult with your general practitioner or gynecologist to get a mammogram and/or a clinical breast exam.
- Otherwise, check with your local Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliate to get more information on planned screening events. Or, call your local health department or use the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.'s online search feature to find a local clinic.
- For mammorgrams, the American Cancer Society recommends using a facility that performs many mammograms each day, and is authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to perform mammograms.
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures. |
Article updated March 2008 |
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Recent Posts |
| Amount: $553.00 |
cost of mammogram
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| Posted by: Tricia in Dahlonega, GA. | Purchased: 2008 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Imaging Center of Dawsonville | Insurance Carrier: BC/BS |
| Type of Policy: PPo |
| My insurance company has a high deductible and I have to pay for my mammogram. I was under the impression that they cost about $200.00 but I was billed $553.00. Is this too high? |
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| Amount: $785.00 |
Cost of Mammagram
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| Posted by: Jen4402 in Minneapolis, MN. | Purchased: July, 2008 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Fairview | Insurance Carrier: Preferred One |
| Type of Policy: PPO |
| I just got my bill for my mammagram on 7/22/08. My portion of the bill was $191, but the total charges were $785. I am outraged that they feel this is a reasonable fee. I\'m not so sure I\'ll have one every year at this price. I\'d be better off to have been uninsured. |
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| Amount: $2,599.00 |
Mammogram Costs MUCH higher
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| Posted by: Poor in New Jersey in Parsippany, NJ. | Purchased: August, 2008 |
| Clinic or Doctor: St Claire's Imaging Center | Insurance Carrier: Beech Street |
| Type of Policy: PPO |
I read websites like this thinking I was getting a mammo for around $200. What this estimate fails to take into account is the fact that, if a mammo is done in a hospital, the hospital will charge you as an outpatient IN ADDITION to th cost charged by the radiologist. On top of thet, my screening mammo was abnormal, so here are my total costs for this nightmare:
Hospital Costs
$490.00 for baseline screening
$1,817.00 for follow up mammo and ultrasoung
PLUS...
Radiologist charges
103.00 baseline screening
185.00 ultrasound
107.00 follow up mammo
Yes, both the radiologist and the hospital charge you for the same exact services - WHAT A SCAM.
My crappy insurance covered half of this, so I am left with a bill for $1,200 dollars. No wonder so many women are dying. If I had known that it would cost this much I would have skipped the screening. |
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| Amount: $523.00 |
too much for service (mammogram)
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| Posted by: A cuser in GA in Americus, GA. | Purchased: November, 2008 |
| i had a mammogram done they did the routine baseline exam. my insurance paid $127 leaving me a total of $523. this i think is too much. the fact that mamagement is being audit in this hospital.a lot of the medical doctors are leaving and God is cleaning house. |
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| Amount: $433.00 |
Cost of Mammogram
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| Posted by: Citizen in Colorado in Longmont, CO. | Purchased: October, 2008 |
| Clinic or Doctor: United Hospital Longmont | Insurance Carrier: United Health |
| Type of Policy: PPO |
My insurace only cover 97.00 so I have to pay the balance.
Is the cost information provided by this webpage up to date or accurate? I would like to know where can I get a mammogran test for $80 to $120? |
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| Amount: $704.00 |
Cost of Mammogram Idaho
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| Posted by: TooMuchForMammogram in Boise, ID. | Purchased: March, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: St. Lukes Breast Imaging | Insurance Carrier: Primary Health |
| Type of Policy: PPO |
Mammogram (St.Lukes) $187.32 --> to deductible
Mammogram (Radiologist) $104.00 --> to deductible
Ultrasound (St.Lukes) $271.32 --> to deductible
Ultrasound (Radiologist) $126.00 --> to deductible
Misc (Radiologist) $15.00 --> to deductible |
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| Amount: $713.00 |
Costs MUCH higher than expected
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| Posted by: CrazyCostsinCA in Manahattan Beach, CA. | Purchased: February, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Torrance Memorial Medical Center | Insurance Carrier: Guardian PPO |
| Type of Policy: PPO |
| Health care costs seemed to have ZOOMED even more out of countrol. This facility charged my insurance carrier $202 in 2008, $713 in 2009 for the same procedure at the same facility. This represents approx. 350% increase in 1 year. My out-of-pocket is $250 - more than the entire procedure cost last year. |
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| Amount: $667.00 |
Cost of a mammogram in 2009
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| Posted by: a user in Salt Lake City, UT. | Purchased: January, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: LDS Hospital | Insurance Carrier: Blue Cross Blue Sheild |
| Type of Policy: PPO |
| And, my insurance is only covering $200-something. So I owe the rest. Husband is out of work, not sure how I can pay this, and health care providers wonder WHY we don't have preventative procedures done? I won't be getting another one, that's for sure. |
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| Amount: $79,380.00 |
Cost of my Mammogram
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| Posted by: A dissatisfied customer in Auburn WA in Auburn, WA. | Purchased: April, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Breast Diagnostic Centers | Insurance Carrier: Regence Blue Sheild |
| Type of Policy: PPO |
| I too had a Mammogram done and it came back suspect so they did an ultra sound and found nothing as I knew they would. My insurance only paid a portion of the bill and I was stuck paying an additional 204.96. What an outrage! Just like all the others that have posted comments...I am not going to be so quick to have another any time soon! And they wonder why women won't go yearly! |
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| Amount: $0.00 |
free or $600 or ???
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| Posted by: disgusted in WA in Camano Island, WA. | Purchased: 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: | Insurance Carrier: Alliant Plus - Group Health |
| A Group Health representative previously told me that I'd need to pay a $30 copay plus 40% of the contracted fee. My Dr. referred me to Providence Breast Center in Everett, WA. I called them to find out that their fees would be $500-600. I called Group Health again to find out what their contracted fee would be, and this time a representative told me that mammograms were free. So after spending quite awhile canvasing my literature, waiting on hold, and talking with various people, I still have no real idea how much it will cost. I DO know, however, that the last time I had one, the first round was free but they called me back for additional images and that cost me several hundred dollars -- and I didn't have "catastrophic-only" insurance then. I think it's all a scam. I'm not at all encouraged to go through any of it again. |
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| Amount: $250.00 |
Mammogram
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| Posted by: The Green Forest in Kirkland, WA. | Purchased: July, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Evergreen Medical Hospital | Insurance Carrier: Mega Life |
| Type of Policy: group |
My wife had a mammogram two years ago and our insurance completely paid for the $340 procedure. We just got a bill for $250, and the total cost for the four X rays is $521! That is a 70% increase in
just two years. Inflation during the period is only 7%, and real wages have gone up only 7 percent too, in a recession. What is going on?
Folks, we need to protest this. I will. Our nation will soon be bankrupt from all this. |
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| Amount: $179.00 |
Hoping for what I was quoted
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| Posted by: AC in Calhoun, GA. | Purchased: 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Summitt Radiology, Gordon Hospital | Insurance Carrier: |
| I have an appointment next week for a mammogram and as a self-paying client, I was quoted $179 on the phone and told that it would be less than that if I tell them I am self-pay. Another facility in Dalton quoted me $195. So after reading the comments, I am keeping my fingers crossed that there won't be any surprise charges. |
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| Posted by: -- in SLC, UT. | Purchased: June, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Utah | Insurance Carrier: Cigna |
Initial appt w/ gyn for referral - $91
Digital Mammo: 476
Ultrasound: 249
Radiologist to read mammo: 75
Follow up w/ specialized surgeon for another opinion: 130 |
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| Amount: $0.00 |
Cost of Mammogram
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| Posted by: D in D in Dallas, TX. | Purchased: July, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Methodist Charlton Dallas | Insurance Carrier: First Health |
Cost in 2009 $358.00
Cost in 2008 $200.00 same place.
Reason, new digital machine.
Don't know yet what the insurance wil pay. |
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| Amount: $500.00 |
too expensive
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| Posted by: very upset of my 1st routine check in harwich, MA. | Purchased: January, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: fontaine medical center | Insurance Carrier: bluecross |
im young and this was my 1st check in my life. i took test 1/27 and i got this bill now 09/2009
why do i have to pay 500$ i called here and there to straight out the story is he say she say and im trapped in middle.idk where to ask and where to get help anymore.ridiculous. im afraid to go next yr one around corner to get this kinda bill again |
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| Amount: $741.51 |
What's wrong in this country?
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| Posted by: Tomomi T in Bayonne, NJ. | Purchased: August, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Bayonne Meidical Hospital | Insurance Carrier: BCBS |
| Type of Policy: HMO |
| $741.51 for the bill?? It's just Mammography. Unbelieable...! I could have all cancer screenings with CT/MRI for $500 in Japan. Again, why do we pay taxes for? |
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| Amount: $6,686.70 |
my cost beat you all!!!!
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| Posted by: Val Petro in Monterey, CA. | Purchased: October, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula | Insurance Carrier: Medicare |
| Type of Policy: government |
| I have Medicare primary and Anthem secondary as we are on Cobra now due to no work for my husband. I received a notice called "This is not a Bill" from the Hospital which runs the mammogram center. Outrageous, don't you think? And the hospital cries poor all the time!!! You ought to see it. It is like a country club for all the rich people from Pebble Beach, Carmel, etc. But we get good care. Just really have to pay through the nose for it. Our private insurance is from our Carpenters Trust Fund so there is an important attention paid in costs as it is really "OUR" money. Disgusted with fees these days. |
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| Amount: $374.00 |
Cost of my mammogram is a rip off
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| Posted by: pat52 in Ellenwood, GA. | Purchased: October, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Metro Surgical Associates | Insurance Carrier: United Healthcare |
| Type of Policy: ppo |
| I didn\'t pay anything but a $25.00 co-pay last year. This year, I paid my $25.00 co-pay and just got a bill for $135.43. The total bill is $ 334.00 What the hell is this? I can\'t believe it. It looks like my insurance company paid only $37. 19. I live in Georgia and this is outrageous. |
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| Amount: $945.00 |
Mammogram Conspiracy
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| Posted by: Sorry I Bothered! in Kirkland,, WA. | Purchased: October, 2009 |
| Clinic or Doctor: Evergreen Medical Center | Insurance Carrier: Blue Cross BS |
| My doctor ordered a yearly mammogram. Because I had some discomfort in one breast, the hospital outpatient center that I was sent to REQUIRED me to have a "diagnostic mammogram". What is a regular mammogram, if not diagnostic? Why is it that if the results of a mammogram are not conclusive, an ultrasound has to be done? The ultrasound must be a better test! It certainly doesn't squeeze your breasts into a vice, and it is a much faster test. Hmmm... Could it be that this is a way for hospital outpatient centers to make more money on the poor, frightened consumer?? It is a scam that I won't be a part of next time. I will just have a mammogram when it is offered at my grocery store! |
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Post About Your Experience With a Mammogram |
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