Mammogram; Would you like fries with that, ma'am?

With my new (last year) job, I have new health insurance, and I have to go to the "other" hospital to get a mammo instead of the place I've been going for the last 10 years.

I finally get around to going in last week, and the tech who takes my history asks me if I'd like to upgrade to a 3D version, which insurance usually doesn't cover and will cost $90 out of pocket.

It's about the last place I expected a pitch to upsell, but there it was.

Then, in the letter saying they were pleased to report...etc. there was also a caution that the 3D version could reveal more than the plain ol' generic mammo, so I might reconsider.

Health care for profit strikes again!

You gotta love it.....

Yes, last year they tried to upsell me for $50. I declined. Then they sent me a letter saying there was a problem and I had to go back for more. The follow-up used the 3D imaging and cost me $100 out of pocket. Turned out the "problem" was that the original image was unclear. They used to determine that right away and take another on the spot. Now they make you think there's something wrong to scare you into paying extra next time.

This happened in the middle of major job changes and just before the death of a close family friend. I did not need the extra stress.

I just had my physical check-up this year and they automatically gave me a form to get a mammogram. Look, I don't plan to get one this year. It is covered by our public health insurance. But I really don't wish to have this exposure ...again. I've had a mammogram 5 times in the last 10 years. Enough. This is becoming too routine for myself personally and I've never had a negative result.

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Originally Posted by shootingstar

I just had my physical check-up this year and they automatically gave me a form to get a mammogram. Look, I don't plan to get one this year. It is covered by our public health insurance. But I really don't wish to have this exposure ...again. I've had a mammogram 5 times in the last 10 years. Enough. This is becoming too routine for myself personally and I've never had a negative result.

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Assume you mean that you've always had a negative result (meaning no evidence of cancer)...

I am with you. My PCP wants me to get one yearly, but after doing that for years, I am opting for every other year now. I do examine my breasts, and since I'm now officially post-menopausal (as of this month, yippee, one year with NO bleeding!), my breasts are softer and less full than they used to be, and I think I'd notice a change. When I was menstruating, they were much lumpier, and I was always concerned since it's impossible to distinguish normal hormonal lumpiness from cancer.

It's just one of those personal decisions -- everyone should do what they're comfortable with.

I have never been pressured to "upgrade." I know the hospital has the 3D imaging, but it seems to be reserved for those that clearly need a "closer" view.
Just my personal opinion, but I will continue going yearly. I don't even think about the exposure, frankly. With all of the chest x rays I've had for years of bronchial things, it seems like a moot point. That was awhile ago, but I would say some years I probably had 3-5 x rays a year.
It's true, though, that women seem to be more freaked out about breast cancer, when heart disease is the number one killer of women. And that is something that can be fixed with lifestyle changes. Gee, but that might require, well, change!

I asked my doc about it & he said that 3D hasn't proven to be more effective than the plain old vanilla version.

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Originally Posted by Dogmama

I asked my doc about it & he said that 3D hasn't proven to be more effective than the plain old vanilla version.

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When I got called back last year, my doctor said something about the 3D image being better and that it would eventually become the standard method.

Meanwhile I recently received a letter from the place that I go to for mammograms. It was disguised as a reminder to come in for an annual checkup, but really was mostly an ad for the 3D imaging. Which tells me they're either making quite a bit of cash off of them, or they need to make more cash off of them in order to pay for the equipment.

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Originally Posted by ny biker

When I got called back last year, my doctor said something about the 3D image being better and that it would eventually become the standard method.

Meanwhile I recently received a letter from the place that I go to for mammograms. It was disguised as a reminder to come in for an annual checkup, but really was mostly an ad for the 3D imaging. Which tells me they're either making quite a bit of cash off of them, or they need to make more cash off of them in order to pay for the equipment.

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What the cancer industry and the pink ribbon groups rarely, if at all, point out is that digital mammography leads to more overdiagnosis (=needless serious harm to women, including many deaths) and exposes women to more radiation despite that low dose x-rays are a known prime cause of breast cancer - see "Mammography Screening: Truth, Lies and Controversy" by Peter Gotzsche and The Mammogram Myth by Rolf Hefti - more at The Dangers of Mammograms

This newer technology is intensely advertised as an improvement over regular mammograms, primarily by people who profit from this procedure, like oncologists, radiologists, mammogram equipment manufacturers, hospitals, and so forth.

well in my case the 3 d scan caught my breast cancer just as it was becoming invasive when a regular mammo hadn't caught it at all so.....

The regular mammogram didn't catch mine either.

Just curious Marni and withm were you just routinely getting the 3d type or did something else cause you to get it instead of the regular type?