Our Point of View

November 18, 2009

Kaiser Permanente Comments on U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

As one of the nation’s leaders in providing mammography screenings, we believe that focusing on prevention and early detection is critical to improving women’s health and saving lives.

We do not currently plan on making any changes to our coverage or treatment practices, based on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s recent announcement on breast cancer screening.

At Kaiser Permanente, decisions regarding mammography screening are made between the patient and their doctor, taking into account the patient’s health, risk factors, personal and family history, and preferences. We encourage women to have a thorough discussion of the benefits and harms of screening in order to arrive at an informed, collaborative decision with their physician about whether and when to be screened.

As part of our commitment to providing the safest, highest quality care for our members and patients, we regularly review and consider the latest evidence-based treatment guidelines and practices.

We look forward to taking part in additional, informed discussions about the USPSTF recommendations with the National Committee for Quality Assurance and other organizations in the months to come.