Several programs offer free or low-cost mammograms to people without insurance. The most widely available is the CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which operates in all 50 states. Beyond that, community health centers, nonprofit organizations, hospital financial assistance programs, and mobile mammography vans can all bring the out-of-pocket cost down significantly or eliminate it entirely.
Without any assistance, a screening mammogram typically costs between $140 and $360, depending on whether it’s a standard 2D or a 3D image. That’s a real barrier, but most people who are uninsured qualify for at least one of the options below.
The CDC’s National Screening Program
The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) is the largest government-funded option for free mammograms. It covers screening, diagnostic services, and even treatment referrals for people with low incomes who are uninsured or underinsured. The program runs through local and state health departments, so you apply through your state’s version of the program rather than through the CDC directly.
To qualify, you generally need to meet three criteria:
- Age: 40 to 64 for breast cancer screening (some programs make exceptions outside this range)
- Income: at or below 250% of the federal poverty level
- Insurance status: no insurance, or insurance that doesn’t cover screening
You can find your state’s program by searching the CDC’s NBCCEDP website. Each state names its program differently. California’s is called Every Woman Counts, for instance. Some states set slightly different eligibility thresholds, so it’s worth calling even if you’re not sure you qualify.
Community Health Centers With Sliding-Scale Fees
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are required to see patients regardless of their ability to pay. They charge on a sliding scale based on your income, which can reduce the cost of a mammogram to a fraction of the retail price or nothing at all. There are roughly 1,400 of these centers across the country, many in underserved areas.
Not every health center has imaging equipment on-site. Some perform mammograms in-house, while others refer you to a partnering radiology facility at the same reduced rate. When you call, ask specifically whether they provide mammograms and whether the sliding-scale pricing applies to the imaging itself or only to the office visit. You can search for the nearest FQHC at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
Hospital Charity Care Programs
Most nonprofit hospitals are legally required to offer financial assistance, often called charity care. This can cover mammograms along with other services, reducing or eliminating your bill based on income. The eligibility rules vary from hospital to hospital because each one sets its own policy within broad federal guidelines.
About two-thirds of nonprofit hospitals offer free care to patients with incomes up to at least 200% of the federal poverty level, and many set their threshold higher. For discounted (but not free) care, roughly 38% of nonprofit hospitals extend eligibility above 400% of the poverty level. Some hospitals also consider your assets, where you live, or whether a bill would cause financial hardship even if your income technically exceeds their standard cutoff. Many have streamlined applications for people who are clearly eligible, such as those experiencing homelessness.
The key step is to ask for the hospital’s financial assistance application before your appointment. Billing departments are required to tell you about these programs, but they don’t always volunteer the information upfront.
Mobile Mammography Vans
Mobile mammography units bring screening directly into neighborhoods, often parking at community centers, churches, workplaces, and health fairs. Many of these vans offer free mammograms to uninsured patients or connect you with financial counselors who can waive the cost.
Mount Sinai’s mobile program in New York, for example, provides services that are usually free regardless of insurance status. Similar programs exist in cities and rural areas across the country, often run by hospitals or nonprofit organizations. Schedules rotate, so the best way to find one near you is to search “[your city] mobile mammography” or call a local hospital’s breast health department and ask when their van will be in your area.
Planned Parenthood and Women’s Health Clinics
Some Planned Parenthood locations offer mammograms directly or refer patients to partnering facilities at reduced cost. Certain locations are enrolled as providers in state-funded screening programs, which means they can cover the full cost of a mammogram for qualifying patients. Other women’s health clinics and reproductive health centers operate similarly, connecting uninsured patients with state or nonprofit funding.
Not every Planned Parenthood location offers this service, so call ahead. Even if your local clinic doesn’t do mammograms on-site, the staff can often point you toward the closest affordable option.
Nonprofit Organizations That Help With Costs
The National Breast Cancer Foundation partners with facilities across the country to provide free mammograms and diagnostic services to women in need. Their website has a facility finder that shows partnering locations near you.
Susan G. Komen offers a financial assistance program, though it’s designed for people who have already been diagnosed with breast cancer rather than those seeking a screening mammogram. If a screening does lead to a diagnosis, Komen provides $500 grants to help with costs like treatment, transportation, rent, and utilities for households earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level.
How to Start
Your fastest path depends on your state. Start by calling your state health department and asking about the NBCCEDP program, since it’s specifically designed for uninsured breast cancer screening and exists everywhere in the country. If you don’t qualify or there’s a wait, try these steps in parallel:
- Search for a nearby FQHC at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov and ask about mammogram services and sliding-scale pricing
- Call the nearest nonprofit hospital’s billing department and request a financial assistance application before scheduling
- Check for mobile mammography schedules in your area through local hospitals or health departments
- Visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s website to find a partner facility offering free screenings
Many of these programs overlap, and staff at one organization will often know about others in your area. A single phone call to your state health department or a local community health center can open up multiple options you wouldn’t find through a web search alone.