Mammography is a valuable tool in the fight against breast cancer. Like other healthcare organizations across the nation, LRGHealthcare encourages women over the age of 40 to get annual mammograms.

For many women, mammograms are covered by Medcare, Medicaid, or their private insurance plans. And for many women in our community who don't have insurance, annual mammograms are still accessible through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP), or HealthLink membership.

But what about women who don't have coverage through any of these programs? In the past, mammograms were out of reach for many of these women — they were just too expensive.

LRGHealthcare is pleased to offer the Mammography Bridge program. An extension of the HealthLink program, this program helps bridge the gap for women who may not qualify for HealthLink or the BCCP program, but still have financial barriers to receiving a regular screening mammogram. Some women qualifying for this new program may have health insurance, but may have a very high deductible or no mammography screening coverage in their plan. Or, they may not have insurance, but not meet the financial guidelines for the HealthLink program.

The Mammography Bridge program requires a brief financial screening process. If a woman qualifies, she will be given a voucher for a screening digital mammogram at one of our four locations: Lakes Region General Hospital; Franklin Regional Hospital; Laconia Clinic; or Lakes Region OB/GYN. She will be expected to pay only a small copay and a small percentage of the radiology fee.

LRGHealthcare created this program to ensure that screening mammograms are accessible to every woman in our community. If it is successful, we hope to expand the program to also include colorectal, prostate, and cholesterol screenings.

For more information about the Mammography Bridge program, call Breast Health Coordinator Ginny Witkin, RN, at 524-3211, ext. 2940.