Medicaid coverage of screening tests for breast and cervical cancer

Although most women receive periodic Papanicolaou smear (Pap) for early diagnosis of cervical cancer, those who do not are more likely to be of lower socioeconomic status. Similarly, for the many women who do not receive periodic mammography for early diagnosis of breast cancer, cost has often been cited as a reason. Medicaid provides health benefits to roughly 9.4 million women of the appropriate ages for Pap tests and roughly 3.3 million women of the appropriate ages for mammography. The decision to provide such coverage is made on the state level. Of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, 49 provide some level of coverage for Pap smears, 39 for screening mammography. Knowing the extent of coverage allows public health professionals to take advantage of this funding source to provide services for lower-income women and may help initiate coverage in those states where it is not currently available.