Health Department participates in low-cost exam program for women
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 19, 2016 9:57 AM
The North Carolina Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program, or BCCCP, provides free or low-cost breast and cervical screenings for women who qualify, and the Wayne County Health Department is a participant in the program.
Some restrictions apply, said Christel Faison, BCCCP coordinator.
"People that haven't had mammograms ever in their lives, never had Pap smears or not in the last five years," she said. "They can still come in as long as they have not been diagnosed."
Since 1991, BCCCP have served more than 4.9 million women, provided more than 12 million screening examinations and diagnosed more than 70,997 breast cancers and 3,854 invasive cervical cancers.
The program provides services to underserved, uninsured women of Wayne County.
Eligibility requirements are also based on family size and poverty level. It serves women between the ages of 18 and 64 who are not already part of the family planning program at the health department. They must not have insurance that covers mammograms or Pap smears, which includes Medicaid or Medicare Part B.
The BCCCP program at the Health Department can see 302 eligible women every year -- 74 through state funds and 228 covered under federal funds.
"Make an appointment and come see the providers," Mrs. Faison said. "We'll do a history and we'll use the last time they had a mammogram of if they have had one done, have had a pap or ever had some clinical breast exam.
"We'll set up for a screening mammogram at the hospital."
Of course, in the case of someone who detects something suspicious, or a lump, it is important to get that checked out rather than wait.
"Do a self-breast exam. We teach them about that in family planning, too," said Mrs. Faison, who previously worked in that program. "We give information on doing the self-breast exam. If they don't know how to do it, they can get information from us on how to do it.
Once accepted into the program, they remain in it, unless their insurance status changes, she said.
"We see them through to age 65, when they can get Medicaid," she said.
The program has been well received by women in the community, Mrs. Faison said.
"I think the ones that come in that have never been say, 'I'm finally trying to take care of myself now,'" she said. "They haven't done the pap smears or mammograms.
"You can have somebody miss a year and come back the next year and find they have cancer. So I think people know now because (cancer) has affected so many people. I think it's just finding time to go do the screenings and the self-breast exam. Make it a habit."
Mrs. Faison said she is glad the program is offered at the Health Department.
"Most of the patients are very appreciative, once they find out about it," she said.
There are other dividends from being enrolled in BCCCP, she noted.
"They can also apply for BCCCP Medicaid," she said. "It helps pay, retroactive, when they first come, pays for incisions, surgeries, just like Medicaid. It also helps with doctor visits and treatment plans.
"Most people get it. They came here because they don't have insurance."'
Whenever patients come in for a visit, they are also made aware of the WISE WOMAN program, for women ages 40 to 64 already enrolled in BCCCP. WISEWOMAN educates, screens and counsels them on ways to lower risk for heart disease and stroke.
It provides blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol checks and makes referrals to doctors and community resources.
"It's a very educational program," Mrs. Faison said. "We do health coaching. We call them throughout the year, encourage them to exercise, try to move, talk about nutrition."
To learn more about this program, visit www.cdc.gov/WISEWOMAN or call 919-707-5300.
Anyone who believes they qualify for BCCCP is invited to call the Health Department at 919-731-1241.