Free pap smears in District of Columbia — DC Cancer Consortium / Project WISH
DC Cancer Consortium / Project WISH
The program, the phone, the eligibility
District of Columbia offers free pap smears and HPV testing through DC Cancer Consortium / Project WISH — call 1-202-442-9144 (ages 21-64, income up to 250% of the federal poverty line).
Primary source: https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/breast-and-cervical-cancer
What the program pays for
- Pap test
- HPV test (co-testing for ages 30+)
- Colposcopy for abnormal results
- Case management to treatment if cancer is found
How District of Columbia's program works
DC Cancer Consortium / Project WISH is District of Columbia's NBCCEDP grantee — the channel through which women in District of Columbia get a free pap smear plus diagnostic follow-up. Call 1-202-442-9144 or visit https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/breast-and-cervical-cancer to start the eligibility check. Intake usually takes 15-20 minutes and can be done by phone.
Who qualifies. Women ages 21-64, 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 Pap or HPV test is abnormal, the program pays for colposcopy, cervical biopsy, LEEP, and cone biopsy at no charge. If cervical cancer is found, the federal Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act (Public Law 106-354) triggers Medicaid treatment eligibility — no separate Medicaid application is required. Transportation and interpretation are covered in most state programs where they are a barrier to completing a scheduled appointment — ask the intake coordinator specifically.
The DC screening pathway covers Pap, HPV testing, colposcopy, and LEEP; DC Medicaid's BCCTP covers treatment without a separate application.
For Black families in District of Columbia
DC Black women's cervical-cancer incidence is 9.7 per 100,000 versus 4.8 for white women — one of the largest city-level gaps nationally (DC Cancer Registry, 2022).
For Black women and families in District of Columbia, 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 District of Columbia
- Federally Qualified Health Centers in District of Columbia: 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/dc/.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology providers in District of Columbia: our provider directory filters to this state and specialty. See /providers/dc/.
- Medicaid in District of Columbia: 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/district-of-columbia/.
- Black Health outcomes in District of Columbia: see state-level race-stratified data at /health/district-of-columbia/.
- Cervivor — cervical-cancer survivor network with Black-women-led community chapters: cervivor.org.
References & primary sources
- DC Cancer Consortium / Project WISH: https://dchealth.dc.gov/service/breast-and-cervical-cancer.
- 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, District of Columbia, three-year aggregate 2020-2022: wonder.cdc.gov.
Data refreshed: