Insurers change breast screening rules

Several U.S. insurance companies have changed their guidelines for mammography screening in response to new recommendations from the National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society that women ages 40 to 49 receive regular screening, according to Amnews, the newspaper of the American Medical Association. The NCI changed its recommendation in March to advocate screening women in the younger age group (SCAN 4/2/97).

Aetna U.S. Healthcare and Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield now say they will encourage and pay for screening for women in the younger age group, although individual health plans have some flexibility in implementing the policy. Both companies previously covered regular mammography screening starting at age 50.