Why this matters for Black families
Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women (ACS, 2024), despite similar incidence rates — the gap traces to later-stage diagnosis, higher triple-negative rates, and uneven access to timely follow-up.
The mortality gap is not explained by incidence — Black and white women are diagnosed at similar rates. It is explained by diagnostic delay, higher rates of aggressive tumor subtypes (triple-negative and inflammatory breast cancer), and uneven access to modern systemic therapies. The American College of Radiology 2023 recommendations call for Black women to begin risk assessment at age 25 — a full decade earlier than the general-population mammogram start age.
Every NBCCEDP state program serves Black women; some programs explicitly track race-stratified screening rates and publish equity scorecards.
Who qualifies (federal baseline)
Federal NBCCEDP eligibility (state programs may expand):
- Age: 40-64 (breast); 21-64 (cervical)
- Income: up to 250% of the federal poverty level (states may raise this — California and several others use 200% FPL as the cutoff)
- Insurance status: uninsured, or insured with a deductible/copay that makes screening unaffordable
- Documentation: most states accept a simple intake screening form; no extensive income documentation is required for initial enrollment
- Citizenship: NBCCEDP serves women regardless of immigration status in most states
State variations: California, Washington, and several others cover screening at up to 200% FPL; Massachusetts covers at up to 300% FPL. State phone lines and enrollment forms differ. Always check the state's program page before assuming federal defaults apply.
The three federal eligibility gates
All 50 states & DC
Alabama
Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
1-877-252-3324
Alaska
Alaska Breast and Cervical Health Check
1-800-410-6266
Arizona
Well Woman HealthCheck Program
1-888-257-8502
Arkansas
BreastCare
1-877-670-2273
California
Every Woman Counts
1-800-511-2300
Colorado
Women's Wellness Connection
1-866-951-9355
Connecticut
Connecticut Early Detection and Prevention Program
1-860-509-7804
Delaware
Screening for Life
1-302-744-1020
Florida
Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
1-866-257-9400
Georgia
Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program
1-404-657-2850
Hawaii
Hawaii Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program
1-808-692-7460
Idaho
Women's Health Check
1-800-926-2588
Illinois
Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program
1-888-522-1282
Indiana
Indiana Breast and Cervical Cancer Program
1-317-233-7405
Iowa
Care for Yourself
1-800-369-2229
Kansas
Early Detection Works
1-877-277-1368
Kentucky
Kentucky Women's Cancer Screening Program
1-844-249-0708
Louisiana
Louisiana Breast and Cervical Health Program
1-888-599-1073
Maine
Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program
1-800-350-5180
Maryland
Breast and Cervical Cancer Program
1-800-477-9774
Massachusetts
Women's Health Network
1-877-414-4447
Michigan
Michigan Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program
1-800-922-6266
Minnesota
Sage Screening Program
1-888-643-2584
Mississippi
Mississippi Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
1-800-721-7222
Missouri
Show Me Healthy Women
1-866-726-9926
Montana
Montana Cancer Screening Program
1-888-803-9343
Nebraska
Every Woman Matters
1-800-532-2227
Nevada
Women's Health Connection
1-888-463-8942
New Hampshire
Let No Woman Be Overlooked
1-800-852-3345
New Jersey
New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection
1-800-328-3838
New Mexico
Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
1-877-852-2585
New York
Cancer Services Program
1-866-442-2262
North Carolina
Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program
1-877-530-5222
North Dakota
Women's Way
1-800-449-6636
Ohio
Ohio Breast and Cervical Cancer Project
1-844-644-6843
Oklahoma
Take Charge!
1-888-669-5934
Oregon
ScreenWise
1-877-255-7070
Pennsylvania
HealthyWoman Program
1-800-215-7494
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Women's Cancer Screening Program
1-800-942-7434
South Carolina
Best Chance Network
1-800-277-0031
South Dakota
All Women Count!
1-800-738-2301
Tennessee
Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program
1-877-969-6636
Texas
Breast and Cervical Cancer Services
1-800-399-8838
Utah
Utah Cancer Control Program
1-800-717-1811
Vermont
Ladies First
1-800-508-2222
Virginia
Every Woman's Life
1-866-395-4968
Washington
Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program
1-888-438-2247
West Virginia
West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program
1-800-642-8522
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Well Woman Program
1-888-218-0142
Wyoming
Wyoming Cancer Programs (Breast and Cervical)
1-800-264-1296
District of Columbia
DC Cancer Consortium / Project WISH
1-202-442-9144
Data sources
- CDC NBCCEDP program directory: cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp
- American Cancer Society Cancer Statistics Center: cancerstatisticscenter.cancer.org
- USPSTF recommendations: uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org
- State health department websites (cited inline on every state page)
Data refreshed: