News Releases
York – Capital Blue Cross and WellSpan Health today announced a collaboration to increase access to breast cancer screenings in rural and underserved communities across South Central Pennsylvania.
Capital Blue Cross will provide $250,000 over the next three years to help fund WellSpan’s recently launched mobile mammography motor coach. This financial support will provide funding for hundreds of mammograms across Adams, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties. About 16,000 women between ages 50 and 75 residing in these counties have not had a mammogram in the last two years.
“Too many women are at higher risk of breast cancer because they lack easy access to routine screenings, so we’ve found a way to bring this life-saving resource to them,” said Capital Blue Cross President and CEO Todd Shamash. “Access to trusted, quality healthcare shouldn’t be dictated by your ZIP Code, and this mobile mammography unit helps break down barriers to care.”
The American Cancer Society recommends women start getting mammograms at the age of 40, but access to affordable screenings is often a barrier to receiving a potentially life-saving diagnosis. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women, and early detection leads to better health outcomes and better treatment options.
“Preventive screenings are essential to early diagnosis of breast cancer, and with Capital Blue Cross, we will be able to provide convenient mammograms to those friends and neighbors who need it most,” said Roxanna Gapstur, Ph.D., R.N., president and chief executive officer, WellSpan Health. “This is just one more way WellSpan and Capital Blue Cross are providing greater value in our region by inspiring health through accessible, affordable care for all.”
WellSpan’s dedicated team on the motor coach can complete each private screening in less than 15 minutes, using advanced three-dimensional mammography technology that allows for clearer images of breast masses, making it easier to detect breast cancer.
This effort is the latest collaboration between Capital Blue Cross and WellSpan to improve healthcare access and quality while reducing costs. A Capital Blue Cross Connect health and wellness center on WellSpan’s Chambersburg campus offers walk-in healthcare consultations, and a second center will open later this year in York. The two entities also recently launched joint Medicare Advantage products for 2022 designed to enhance quality of care, reduce costs and provide access to doctors and hospitals across the country.
For more information about the mobile mammography coach, visit www.WellSpan.org/GoMammo.
About Capital Blue Cross
Capital Blue Cross serves a 21-county region in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley by offering health insurance products, services and technology solutions that provide peace of mind to consumers and promote health and wellness for our members. The company delivers innovative solutions through a family of diversified businesses to create healthier lives and lower healthcare costs. Among these solutions are patient-focused care models, leading-edge data analytics and digital health technologies. Additionally, Capital Blue Cross Connect health and wellness centers provide in-person service and inspiration to help people reach their health goals. Capital Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
About WellSpan Health
WellSpan Health is an integrated health system that serves the communities of central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. The organization includes a clinically integrated network of approximately 2,600 physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs), including more than 1,600 employed physicians and APPs; a regional behavioral health organization; a home care organization; eight respected hospitals; approximately 20,000 employees; and more than 200 patient care locations. WellSpan is a charitable, mission-driven organization, committed to exceptional care for all, lifelong wellness and healthy communities. Visit WellSpan.org.