Blue Review
A Provider Publication

October 2022

Discrepancies in Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Mortality Among Racial Groups

During October, our Wellness Can’t Wait campaign is spotlighting Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

According to BreastCancer.org, in 2022, over 43,000 U.S. women are expected to die from breast cancer.1 That includes 1,730 women in Illinois.2 The good news is the death rate from breast cancer decreased by 1% per year from 2013 to 2018.3 These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances and earlier detection through screening.4 In fact, the 5-year breast cancer-specific survival rate is 90-100% when caught early.5

Do your patients know that early detection is key?
According to the American Cancer Society, only 69% of Illinois women 45 years and older were up-to-date on their mammogram screening in 2018.6 Cancer screening rates plummeted during the pandemic and are still not back to pre-pandemic rates. In June 2022, a study by the American College of Radiology states the use of breast imaging services – including mammography screening – may remain at only 85.3% of pre-pandemic utilization.7

Do your patients have any of these barriers to care?
The pandemic also worsened barriers for certain racial groups. Although more white women are diagnosed with breast cancer, more Black and Hispanic women die from breast cancer because of barriers delaying screenings.8

  • Low income or worry about cost
  • Lack of access to care (such as lack of transportation to a mammography center)
  • Lack of a usual health care provider
  • Lack of a recommendation from a health care provider to get mammography screening
  • Low education level
  • Lack of knowledge of breast cancer risks and screening methods
  • Lack of child or elder care
  • Lack of sick leave or unable to miss work
  • Fear of bad news or pain from the mammogram
  • More recent migration to the U.S. (born outside the U.S. and living in the U.S. for less than 10 years)
  • Cultural and language differences

Do your patients know where to go for help?
If your patient is a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) member, mammogram screenings are typically covered at no cost.* If your patient doesn’t have health insurance or needs financial help with the cost of a mammogram, the Illinois Department of Health offers free screenings to eligible people who live in Illinois. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also offers free or low-cost mammograms to those who quality.

What is BCBSIL doing?
You may want to share this video with your patients. Our vice president and chief medical officer, Derek Robinson, reminds women to talk with their health care provider about breast cancer screenings. Your patients also may learn more about breast cancer and screening from this flyer and articles.

*Preventive services at no cost applies only to members enrolled in non-grandfathered health plans. Members may have to pay all or part of the cost of preventive care if their health plan is grandfathered. To find out if a member’s plan is grandfathered or non-grandfathered, call the customer service number on their BCBSIL member ID card.

1,3,4Breastcancer.org, Breast Cancer Facts and Statistics, July 14, 2022. https://www.breastcancer.org/facts-statistics

2,6American Cancer Society, Illinois At A Glance, 2022. https://cancerstatisticscenter.cancer.org/#!/state/Illinois 

5CDC, Breast Cancer Stat Bite, June 6, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/uscs/about/stat-bites/stat-bite-breast.htm 

7American College of Radiology, Mammography screening and related breast care still rebounding from COVID-19 pandemic, June 8, 2022. https://www.acr.org/Media-Center/ACR-News-Releases/2022/Mammography-screening-and-related-breast-care-still-rebounding-from-COVID-19-pandemic 

8National Library of Medicine, Barriers to breast cancer screening are worsened amidst COVID-19 pandemic: A review, February 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8648670/ 

The above material is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician or other health care provider. Physicians and other health care providers are encouraged to use their own medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the appropriate course of treatment. References to third party sources or organizations are not a representation, warranty or endorsement of such organizations. Any questions regarding those organizations should be addressed to them directly. The fact that a service or treatment is described in this material is not a guarantee that the service or treatment is a covered benefit and members should refer to their certificate of coverage for more details, including benefits, limitations and exclusions. Regardless of benefits, the final decision about any service or treatment is between the member and their health care provider.

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