Mammography Clinics Deal with New Guidelines for Mammograms
New guidelines introduced last month recommend that women have fewer mammograms, or at least wait until they are over 40 years of age to start getting regular screenings. The news has caused many mammography clinics to worry about how this will affect their business. Some breast cancer screening clinics have experienced a steady decline in profitability in recent years, mainly due to lower insurance reimbursements and the rising cost of new mammography machines.
The most advanced mammography machines cost several hundred thousand dollars. That fact, paired with growing concern over malpractice lawsuits when radiologists miss a cancer diagnosis, has slowly endangered the future of free-standing radiology units who perform mammograms. In many ways, providing this service has become a loss leader for hospitals, which hope to attract patients for other services, but now that health insurers may cut back on coverage some clinics may need to close their doors.
Even though most health insurers are unlikely to change their coverage limits right away, the new guidelines issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force are expected to limit annual mammograms to women aged 50 to 74, with those under 50 only able to get one every other year. Not only do most doctors disagree with this recommendation, women’s health advocates have also taken a strong stand against them.
Some insurers are expected to continue with their current recommendations of more frequent screenings, and will base their coverage on research that comes from various groups, including the American Cancer Society. Coverage will most likely remain available for patients with a family history of breast cancer, where early detection is critical. Only time will tell how many insurance companies will radically change their policies concerning the use of mammography machines, but any change could have a serious impact on clinics.
As a result of this news, some facilities offering mammograms may need to cut back on staff and reduce operating costs in the coming years. One option that may make sense is to look for less expensive, used mammography machines that have been reconditioned. Used medical equipment like these often will last several years and can cost considerably less than a brand new machine.