Women's Health
Read Avalere experts’ analysis and research findings on how coverage, care, and outcomes related to women’s health and health services are shaped by policymakers, industry, plans, and advocates.
New Avalere Analysis Compares Varying Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations
In October, the American Cancer Society (ACS) released its recommendations for breast cancer screening. The guidelines, which apply to women with average breast cancer risk, recommend annual screening from age 45 to 54, with biennial screening recommended for women over age 55. This represents a notable departure from its 2003 guideline, which advocated annual mammography for women at age 40 and older. The dramatic change in screening recommendation is in line with the growing evidence of benefits and harms of breast cancer screening. However, varying guidelines from organizations, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) reveal that experts have not come to a complete agreement on this issue.
Updated Breast Cancer Screening Recommendation Could Eliminate Guaranteed Coverage of Mammography for 17M Women
A new analysis from Avalere finds that 17 million women ages 40 to 49 could lose their guarantee of mammogram coverage, if new breast cancer screening guidelines from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) are finalized.
USPSTF Revisits Controversial Mammography Screening Recommendations
On Nov. 14, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released a draft research plan for Public Comment on "Screening for Breast Cancer," which intends to re-evaluate the effectiveness of routine mammography screening in women age 40 and older.