Mammogram screening boosts US healthcare spending

Mammogram screening for breast cancer is part of the reason why medical care costs the United States more than $7300 per capita annually, according to a new study published on Aug 11 in Medical Care.

The study led by Chubak J and colleagues from Group Health Research Institute in Seattle Washington and University of Washington found a false positive screening mammogram costs $527 compared to $24 for a true negative mammogram screening.

For the study, the researchers identified 21,125 women aged 40 to 80 years, who participated in screening mammography between Jan 1, 1998 and July  30, 2002.

Pathology and cancer registry data were employed to identify breast cancer diagnoses in the year following the screening mammogram.

A false positive mammogram screening was defined as no breast cancer was diagnosed in the year following an examination.

Chubak et al found that the rate of false positive results was 9.9 percent and 87 percent of the diagnoses wee followed by breast imaging only, which costs an average $527, according to the study report.

The researchers concluded that "the direct costs for breast-related procedures following false positive screening mammograms may contribute substantially to US healthcare spending.

The US health expenditure is projected at 20 percent of Gross Domestic Product in next few years, compared to 16 percent right now.

In addition to the high cost, the mammogram screening per se increases risk of breast cancer and potentially cause heart disease because of the radiation used for the diagnostic tool.