Columbia, SC (WLTX) — The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control wants to remind women in the state that they may be eligible for free breast cancer screenings through the month of October.
According to the Center for Disease Control, about 40,000 women die annually from breast cancer but survival rates are improving due to increased awareness of early cancer detection and improvements to cancer screening.
DHEC's Best Chance Network (BCN) will offer qualifying women free breast cancer and cervical cancer screenings through October 31.
In order to qualify, women must:
- Be between the ages of 30 and 64 for breast cancer screenings
- Be between the ages of 21 and 64 for cervical cancer screenings
- Be a resident of South Carolina
- Have household income at or below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Limit
Women with insurance may be eligible to receive free services if they meet all of the eligibility requirements and their insurance has a deductible of $1,000 or more, does not cover screening or diagnostic services at 100% or provides hospitalization coverage only.
BCN contracts with more than 450 health care providers across the state. To learn more about BCN, visit scdhec.gov/breast-cancer or call the Division of Cancer Prevention Hotline at 1-800-450-4611.
