Breast health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer screening means checking a woman’s breasts for cancer before there are signs of the disease.¹ A screening can help find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat.

According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, women between the ages of:²

• 40 and 49 should talk to their doctor or other healthcare provider about when to start getting, and how often to get, breast cancer screenings, such as a mammogram
• 50 and 74 should have a mammogram every 2 years

Mammogram

A mammogram:

• Is an X-ray of the breast
• Is the best way to find breast cancer early, when treatment is easier and before cancer is big enough to feel or cause symptoms
• Can help lower the risk of dying from breast cancer
• Is a covered benefit for Medicaid enrollees in Kentucky

Learn about mammography recommendations for women at average risk of breast cancer and for women at higher than average risk of breast cancer

Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

A breast MRI:

• Uses magnets and radio waves to take pictures of the breast
• Is used along with mammograms to screen women who are at high risk for getting breast cancer
• Is not used for women at average risk of getting breast cancer

Clinical breast exam

During a clinical breast exam, a doctor or nurse uses his or her hands to feel for lumps or other changes in the breast.

According to the Susan G. Komen^® organization, you should keep in mind the following before, during, and after getting a mammogram:³

Before your mammogram

• Avoid using antiperspirants, deodorants, lotions, perfumes, or powders on your breasts and underarm areas, as ingredients in these products can show up on a mammogram and make reading it harder
• Wear a shirt you easily can remove, as you will have to undress from the waist up

During your mammogram

• Each breast is pressed between two plates
• Two X-ray images are made of each breast – one with the X-ray beam aimed from top to bottom, and one with the X-ray beam aimed from side to side
• The screening will take about 15 minutes

After your mammogram

• Expect to get results within 2 weeks of your screening, although some healthcare providers give results immediately
• Contact your healthcare provider if you do not get your results in 2 weeks
• Don’t assume that your results are normal if you don’t hear from your healthcare provider

Participating in healthy activities and earning rewards through our Go365 for Humana Healthy Horizons^® wellness program is easy.

You can qualify to earn rewards by enrolling in Go365 for Humana Healthy Horizons and then completing one or more healthy activities, such as having a breast cancer screening.

Learn more about how to qualify for and redeem rewards.

1. “What is Breast Cancer Screening?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last accessed November 15, 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cancer/screening/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm.
2. “Breast Cancer: Screening,” U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, last accessed November 15, 2024, https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/breast-cancer-screening, opens new window.
3. “Getting a Mammogram,” The Susan G. Komen organization, last accessed November 15, 2024, https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Getting-a-Mammogram.html, opens new window.