October 23, 2026
Health coverage is key to early breast cancer detection
Timely screenings save lives and lower costs, but millions of people miss out without insurance. Lawmakers can act to make coverage more affordable and accessible.
Approximately 1 in 8 women in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime, and 1 in 43 will die from the disease. Cancer affects every part of a person’s life, and the lives of loved ones.
At Kaiser Permanente, our members are 20% less likely to lose years of life due to cancer compared with nonmembers in their community.
This achievement highlights the strength of our value-based, integrated care and coverage model: Early detection and high-quality, coordinated care can save lives.
But without health coverage, many people miss out on both screenings and care, putting them at greater risk.
Early detection saves lives and reduces health care costs
At Kaiser Permanente, our breast cancer screening rate of 79% is above the national average. That difference is important because screening reduces breast cancer deaths by 22% or more.
22% fewer deaths
due to regular breast screenings
In addition to better outcomes, screening also saves money for patients and the health care system.
Annual treatment costs are higher for later-stage breast cancer. For example, the average cost to treat Stage 3 breast cancer is 50% more than treating Stage 1.
Experts estimate that earlier cancer detection could save the U.S. health care system $26 billion each year.
But early detection is hard when you don’t have health coverage. Having health insurance makes it easier to stay on top of routine breast cancer screenings. For example, a study shows Medicaid coverage is associated with better survival rates for breast cancer. People without coverage are much less likely to be up to date on screenings.
At Kaiser Permanente, our members get timely reminders — by email, phone, and in person — to schedule their mammograms. Our doctors personalize screening schedules based on each member’s medical and family history.
And if a member comes to a medical appointment and is not up to date on screening, a medical assistant can help book the next screening.
Lawmakers must act to ensure access to coverage
Breast cancer screenings save lives — and people are more likely to receive screenings when they have access to coverage and care.
We support policies that make health insurance more affordable and accessible, so more people can get screened and treated early.
As states implement new Medicaid eligibility requirements under the 2025 federal law known as H.R. 1, policymakers should help eligible people obtain and keep coverage so they can continue receiving timely cancer screenings and care.
We urge lawmakers to:
- Streamline the enrollment process to promote a simple, easy-to-use marketplace shopping experience
- Fund navigators and assisters to help consumers choose the best plan for their needs, while improving the eligibility verification processes through the marketplace and Medicaid
- Simplify Medicaid enrollment and renewal processes so eligible people don’t lose coverage due to paperwork and to protect consumers from losing coverage due to administrative barriers
- Reduce barriers to work so people who need to meet work requirements to remain on Medicaid can do so; this includes expanding and sustaining support programs like childcare, transportation, and behavioral health services
- Support payment models that reward outcomes and enable integrated, value-based care, like Kaiser Permanente provides
At Kaiser Permanente, cancer prevention is part of every member’s care. Our doctors and care teams work together to find cancer early — when treatment works best.
Every American deserves this kind of care. That starts with having health coverage.
