Daily Sitka Sentinel

Signup Deadline Near For Free Mammogram

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer

With a message to the public that “nothing should prevent you from getting screened,” SEARHC is offering mammograms with no out-of-pocket costs.

The deadline for signing up is this Friday – National Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends Sunday – but the mammogram can be scheduled for anytime in the next year.

The program is offered across five SEARHC campuses, including Sitka.

“You just need to get on the list in October and get your appointment scheduled,” said Sara Beaber-Fujioka, who manages the SEARHC Centers for Disease Control breast and  cervical cancer screening grant.

Other departments involved in the cooperative project include health promotions, radiology, the WISEWOMAN program and the patient billing department.

Through the federal grant, SEARHC provides breast and cervical cancer screening and case management for women who are low-income, uninsured, or under-insured. “Under-insured” means that insurance doesn’t cover the full cost of screening, such as deductibles or copays, Beaber-Fujioka said.

So far 64 have called to sign up for the mammogram, but organizers are hoping to get the word out to top last year’s 90 who signed up here. The number to call by Friday is (907) 966-8490. 

The program was started several years ago and now includes Sitka, Wrangell, Juneau, Klawock and Haines, with 3D imaging available in all five of the communities, said Amy Martens, SEARHC lead mammographer.

“It’s helping us provide better imaging and quality of care to our patients,” she said. “We can’t stop cancer from happening. With mammograms, our goal is to detect cancers early for patients to have a better outcome and quality of life.”

While recognizing there may be barriers for women taking time for healthcare, the idea of this program is to remove one of them: cost.

“We would hate for someone to avoid a mammogram because they’re worried about cost,” Martens said.

SEARHC will bill those with insurance, but if there’s any remaining cost, SEARHC will cover the rest, Beaber-Fujioka said. For those who don’t have insurance, SEARHC will cover the entire cost.

The mammogram does not need to be completed in October, but the phone call needs to be made this month.

“When you call that number, Registered Nurse Case Manager Leslie (Fulton) will take your information and start the process to get the mammogram scheduled,” SEARHC said.

Those who have participated in the program in past years have appreciated the reminder that it’s time for an annual screening and the assurance that there will be no out of pocket costs, organizers said. 

One of the big hits of the program has been a gift pack that SEARHC organizers have put together for patients. This year’s gifts include a travel mug and insulated lunch bag – in pink, the color of breast cancer awareness.

“(Patients) are happy to be not concerned about paying for mammograms,” Martens said. “The (gift bag) lets women know we appreciate they are coming in and taking care of themselves.”

“I feel a lot of women are taking care of other people in their lives, other people in the community, and sometimes they forget to take care of themselves,” Beaber-Fujioka said. SEARHC also called attention to the 30th anniversary of the CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. The CDC said the program has served over 5 million women and provided over 15 million breast and cervical cancer screenings. SEARHC is one of 13 tribal organizations in the U.S. to receive funds for the program, and has been a recipient since 1998, Beaber-Fujioka said.

Those with questions about the mammogram program may call Martens at 966-8327; and the grant.