Thursday, November 19, 2009

This month an independent but federally-funded panel, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, recently issued new government guidelines for mammograms. It seems they don't think women under fifty need them anymore ("offer or provide this service only if other considerations support the offering or providing the service in an individual patient"). They also say that women over 50 should only get a mammogram every other year and give teaching breast self-exam a "D" rating, that is, they "discourage the use of this service", and recommend against teaching women the importance of and method for monthly BSE.

WHAT???

During the firestorm that followed the release of the task force guidelines, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius seemed placating. She said that the task force doesn't set policy. That's true… for now. If the task force says it isn't necessary, how long do you think it will be before mammograms aren't covered by insurance? The average cost of a mammogram is $100-200. In addition, if performed in a hospital, there are usually additional charges. The total cost can be upwards of $500. If mammograms aren't covered by insurance, how many women (especially those under fifty) can afford the cost as an annual out-of-pocket expense?

Responding to all this is Victorious Woman Charron Walker, founder of the Young Survivors Network. A nine-year survivor of breast cancer, she strongly disagrees with the new guidelines. "Doing a monthly self-breast exam along with a mammogram saved my life. I was diagnosed at the age of 32 and I have a family history of breast cancer. I found the lump, but my mammogram and sonogram confirmed that I had a mass." In her work with young women, Ms. Walker says she will continue to advise women to do monthly self-exams and get mammograms because, she insists, "We must be proactive not reactive!"

To women everywhere: Take charge of your life. Before this task force's guidelines get in between you, your good health and your life, you need to make your voice heard. Even if you are over fifty and in the "mammogram OK" group, what about your daughters?

Write to your congressperson or representative. Tell them how you feel about it. Don't know who they are? Click on the votesmart.org link below, put in your zip code and you'll get a list of everyone in Congress and all your state representatives too.

Read the task forces findings: http://www.ahrq.gov/CLINIC/uspstf/uspsbrca.htm

Charron Walker was honored by The Victorious Woman Project in November. Click the Charron link to read her full story.