Free mammograms in California — Every Woman Counts
Every Woman Counts
The program, the phone, the eligibility
California offers free mammograms through Every Woman Counts — call 1-800-511-2300 to check eligibility (typical age 40-64, income up to 200% of the federal poverty line).
Primary source: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/cancer/ewc/Pages/default.aspx
What the program pays for
- Screening mammogram
- Clinical breast exam
- Diagnostic follow-up (ultrasound, MRI, biopsy)
- Case management to treatment if cancer is found
How California's program works
Every Woman Counts is California's NBCCEDP grantee — the channel through which women in California get a free mammogram plus diagnostic follow-up. Call 1-800-511-2300 or visit https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/cancer/ewc/Pages/default.aspx to start the eligibility check. Intake usually takes 15-20 minutes and can be done by phone.
Who qualifies. Women ages 40-64, uninsured or with coverage that leaves a deductible or copay above what you can afford, with household income up to 200% of the federal poverty level (roughly $36,000 for a single woman at 250% FPL, $65,000 for a family of three). Most states serve women regardless of immigration status through NBCCEDP; the program was designed to backstop gaps the ACA marketplace and Medicaid miss. Some states — California at 200% FPL, Massachusetts at 300% FPL — adjust the threshold upward; others cap at the federal 250%.
What's covered. If a mammogram is abnormal, the program pays for the diagnostic workup — ultrasound, diagnostic mammogram, MRI, or biopsy — at no charge. If the biopsy finds cancer, the federal Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act (BCCPTA, Public Law 106-354) triggers Medicaid treatment eligibility — no separate Medicaid application is required in any state. Transportation and interpretation are covered in most state programs where they are a barrier to completing a scheduled appointment — ask the intake coordinator specifically.
California's Every Woman Counts is the largest NBCCEDP program in the country, with more than 200 contracted clinical providers and ~80,000 women served annually. EWC covers mammogram, diagnostic follow-up, and the breast-cancer treatment pathway via Medi-Cal's BCCTP if cancer is found.
For Black families in California
California Black women's breast-cancer mortality is 29.1 per 100,000 versus 19.7 for white women — 48% higher, the largest absolute gap of any race-ethnic group in the state (CA Cancer Registry, 2023).
For Black women and families in California, the practical route is rarely an abstract national program. It is a local clinic or community navigator who answers the phone, walks you through the intake, and follows up when the appointment letter is delayed. The state program line above is the fastest way to be matched to a navigator serving your county.
Community partners that have historically carried this work — Sisters Network chapters, the Black Mamas Matter Alliance network, the National Black Nurses Association, local churches affiliated with Faith in Public Life, and the NAACP health committees — often maintain navigator lists outside the state portal. If the state line doesn't route cleanly, call the nearest FQHC (every FQHC has certified navigators on staff under federal 330-grant rules).
Where to get help in California
- Federally Qualified Health Centers in California: every FQHC takes Medicaid, charges a sliding scale for uninsured patients, and participates in free-screening pathways. See our FQHC directory for this state at /clinics/ca/.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology providers in California: our provider directory filters to this state and specialty. See /providers/ca/.
- Medicaid in California: if you qualify for Medicaid, the free-screening pathway extends to treatment if cancer is found (BCCPTA, Public Law 106-354). See our Medicaid navigator at /medicaid/california/.
- Black Health outcomes in California: see state-level race-stratified data at /health/california/.
- Sisters Network Inc. — national survivor organization with local chapters supporting Black women diagnosed with breast cancer: sistersnetworkinc.org.
References & primary sources
- Every Woman Counts: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/cancer/ewc/Pages/default.aspx.
- CDC NBCCEDP program directory: cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp.
- American Cancer Society Cancer Statistics Center state profile: cancerstatisticscenter.cancer.org.
- CDC WONDER race-stratified mortality query, California, three-year aggregate 2020-2022: wonder.cdc.gov.
Data refreshed: