Regular mammograms and cervical cancer screenings can be lifesaving. When caught early, nearly all breast and cervical cancers are highly treatable. However, a mammogram can cost as much as $549 out of pocket. In Ohio, most women have insurance or Medicaid and these screenings are covered at no cost. But for those uninsured or underinsured, finding the funds for screenings can be difficult.
Medicaid covers those in Ohio 138% or below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), but that still leaves many without coverage. That is where the Ohio Department of Health Breast & Cervical Cancer Project (BCCP) steps in. The BCCP partners with local clinics to ensure women at or below 300% of the FPL can get the screenings they need, regardless of insurance status.
LifeCare Alliance Cancer Screening & Support Center is proud to partner with the BCCP, enrolling more women than any of the 360 clinics involved. Our screening of nearly 2,000 women makes up for 13.2% of all BCCP enrollments. Through our free clinic model utilizing the BCCP program, community engagement, and addressing social needs, LifeCare Alliance is providing high-quality cancer screenings to under resourced women in Ohio at a higher rate than any other Ohio provider.
Our work here at LifeCare Alliance is changing lives, and the medical community is beginning to recognize that on a national level. Director of LifeCare Alliance Cancer Services Christin Brown and Nurse Practitioner Kathy Magee co-authored a research paper, “Improving access to breast and cervical cancer screening with a free cancer screening clinic model,” which is about to be published in the Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship. In November, the two will travel to Las Vegas to present their findings at the annual conference of the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators.
At LifeCare Alliance, we believe that Being There Matters™ – and thanks to our partnership with the BCCP, we are there for women when they need us most.
Additional Articles from the October 2024 Newsletter
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