Letter of the Week: The value of a mammogram

As a breast cancer survivor and a woman, I am disappointed the new U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations tell women that current yearly routine mammograms starting at age 40 are not needed and that women should be screened between the ages of 50 and 74 every two years.

The reason given for this change is the belief that mammograms can produce false negatives that require follow-up testing that can cause anxiety and is too alarming for women to handle.

Well, guess what’s even more alarming to a woman and her family — breast cancer. The earliest detection gives women the best chance for survival.

This belief perpetuates the notion that women are too frail and nervous to take charge of their health. It underscores the disparity in health care that women still face.

The task force’s guidelines are important because insurers often follow the recommendations in deciding whether to cover preventive services. The task force recommendations can be fatal if not correct.

Following these guidelines is an excuse for insurance companies to reduce coverage and save on costs. The savings are on the backs of women — one of eight of whom will get breast cancer.

Cathy Jolly of Kansas City is a former Missouri representative elected in 2000 and a former Kansas City councilwoman elected in 2007. She is married and has a 12-year-old son.

This story was originally published January 24, 2016 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Letter of the Week: The value of a mammogram."