Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Uspstf
Maryland can update its state-provided plan to reduce insurance coverage for mammograms, based on new and controversial recommendations released by a federal panel last week.
The Maryland Health Insurance Plan, which covers high-risk individuals can not obtain health insurance from other sources, usually follows recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, said Rex Cowdry, executive director of the Health Commission of Maryland.
The working group recommended last week that women should have routine mammograms every two years beginning at age 50 instead of having to annually, for 40 years. In a report published last week in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine, the USPSTF recommended against also teaches women self breast examination, citing anxiety and unnecessary tests and treatments resulting from false alarms.
The working group, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, is an independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention, but does not include breast surgeons or oncologists. The recommendations, which occurred in Amid the debate on health care in Congress have led to speculation that the government and insurance companies may no longer cover the service of prevention.
Cowdry said changes in the state plan, if any, will not be effective until July 1.
"Nothing is likely to change rapidly, "Cowdry said, because to make a change is" the process more complicated. "
However, the guidelines could affect policies future, he said.
"If we're going to spend 16 per cent of GDP, with caution, we will continue in the evidence leads," Cowdry said, referring the costs of health care in the nation.
Any discussion on the issue of coverage is "hot," Cowdry expected.
The guidelines do not affect Medicare coverage, Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius said the women concerned in a statement last week.
"There has been debate in this country for years about the age when routine screening mammography should begin and how often they should give. The Working Group has presented some new evidence for consideration, but our policies have not changed, "he said.
"In fact, I would very surprised if any private insurance company to change their coverage decisions of mammography as a result of this action, "said Sebelius.
Private insurance providers in Maryland, including Kaiser Permanente and Aetna, said that without changes, based on the new recommendations would be made "at this time."
"A decision about mammography requires a detailed discussion between patient and physician and should consider the medical evidence, the preferences Unique patient and clinical aspects of each patient, "said Debora Spano, UnitedHealthcare's regional spokesman." coverage of mammography UnitedHealthcare always been based on this philosophy. "
CareFirst follows the guidelines of the American Cancer Society recommend that follow from routine mammograms 40 years old, said Dr. Daniel Winn, vice president and senior medical director.
The new recommendations also led to confusion and anxiety among women.
"The best thing to do is find cancer early," said 60-year-old resident of Bethesda Holly Joseph. " That's what we have known far and this recommendation goes against it. "
The American Cancer Society reports that more than 3,600 women in Maryland is expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009.
