Free mammograms in Washington — Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program
Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program
The program, the phone, the eligibility
Washington offers free mammograms through Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program — call 1-888-438-2247 to check eligibility (typical age 40-64, income up to 250% of the federal poverty line).
Primary source: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease/breast-cer…
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 Washington's program works
Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program is Washington's NBCCEDP grantee — the channel through which women in Washington get a free mammogram plus diagnostic follow-up. Call 1-888-438-2247 or visit https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease/breast-cervical-and-colon-health-program 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 250% 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.
Washington's BCCHP is one of a handful of state programs that combines NBCCEDP and CRCCP into a single enrollment pathway; partners include Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and Sea Mar Community Health Centers.
For Black families in Washington
Washington Black women's breast-cancer mortality is 25.1 per 100,000 versus 18.8 for white women (Washington State Cancer Registry, 2022).
For Black women and families in Washington, 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 Washington
- Federally Qualified Health Centers in Washington: 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/wa/.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology providers in Washington: our provider directory filters to this state and specialty. See /providers/wa/.
- Medicaid in Washington: 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/washington/.
- Black Health outcomes in Washington: see state-level race-stratified data at /health/washington/.
- Sisters Network Inc. — national survivor organization with local chapters supporting Black women diagnosed with breast cancer: sistersnetworkinc.org.
References & primary sources
- Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease/breast-cervical-and-colon-health-program.
- 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, Washington, three-year aggregate 2020-2022: wonder.cdc.gov.
Data refreshed: