PITTSBURG, Kan. — Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHCSEK) is making it easy for women to maximize their health insurance benefits by getting an annual mammogram before the end of the year.
Walk-in mammograms will be available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 13. at the Pittsburg south clinic located at 1011 S. Mount Carmel Place. No appointment or doctor’s referral is required.
It is recommended that all women aged 50 to 74 years of age have a screening mammogram at least every two years, CHCSEK said in a press release. For women who begin screening at age 40 years, it is recommended that they have a mammogram every one to two years.
December is a crucial time to plan for health care costs because deductibles will reset in January and it’s your last chance to use any money you’ve put in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), CHCSEK said.
CHCSEK participates in the Early Detection Works, a breast and cervical cancer screening program for Kansas women. The clinic offers other financial assistance programs ensuring every woman who needs a mammogram will receive one regardless of income or insurance status.
Women in Southeast Kansas rank far below state and national averages in receiving this life-saving screening, and having the service available within the clinic helps remove barriers many women have in receiving timely breast cancer screenings, CHCSEK said. Likewise, the walk-in event will give patients an option on when they can arrive.
CHCSEK uses the Hologic Genius system that screens the breast in four seconds for a lower compression time, with less radiation exposure than many conventional mammography machines. The Genius exam is also superior for denser breasts, which can hide early signs of cancer in a traditional mammogram, CHCSEK said.
In addition, the Hologic Genius scans potentially reduce patient callback by up to 40 percent compared to 2D, sparing the emotional and economic toll of additional testing, including biopsies when there could be nothing wrong.
For more information, people can call 620-223-8484.
