Black Health

NBCCEDP

Free mammograms by state — NBCCEDP

National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (breast)

The CDC National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) pays for mammograms, clinical breast exams, and diagnostic follow-up for uninsured and under-insured women. Every state, DC, 5 US territories, and 13 tribal organizations run a program; the state programs all receive NBCCEDP funds but operate under different state names — California's is Every Woman Counts, Georgia's is BCCSP, Massachusetts runs the Women's Health Network, Alabama runs ABCCEDP, and so on.

NBCCEDP has served more than 5.5 million women and diagnosed more than 80,000 breast cancers since Congress authorized it in 1990 under Public Law 101-354.

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.

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

Data refreshed: