Pricier Mammograms May Not Be Justified

For older women, cheaper methods of detecting breast cancer may be as good as more expensive ones, according to the latest research.

Medicare spending on breast cancer screenings like mammograms adds up to just over $1 billion each year, but how effective is that spending in treating tumors?

In a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine Dr. Cary Gross, an associate professor of internal medicine at Yale School of Medicine and director of the Cancer Outcomes, Public Policy, and Effectiveness Research (COPPER) Center at Yale and his colleagues studied national estimates for breast cancer screening costs and compared these to screening outcomes.

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