Ever book a doctor’s appointment in advance? What about your mammogram? 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and scheduling your mammogram now may help you:

• Book time on the calendar
• Make sure your preferred location is in-network
• Register for the Rewards program, you may earn a $25 reward

The goal of cancer screening exams, like a mammogram, is to find cancers at an early enough stage to treat them with success.

Here are some thoughts on how you can get ready for your mammogram. These tips might help make your screening day easier.

Preparing for Your Mammogram

Wondering what to do before your exam? Johns Hopkins Medicine offers facts about mammograms here.

• Wear what’s comfortable, as you’ll undress from your waist up and wear a gown.
• Don’t wear perfume, deodorant, or powder as they may look like white spots in the x-ray.
• Be ready to talk about any breast changes or symptoms with your health care team.

Also, if you’re seeing a new doctor or changing your mammogram screening location, have your earlier mammograms sent to the new location before your appointment. This will let the radiologist compare the images and check for changes in your breasts. 

Mammogram Screening Results

After your mammogram, your results will be sent to your doctor for review.  Next, you’ll likely get a letter in the mail with your results.  

Your doctor can let you know when you should have your next screening, and the letter may have recommendations for next steps. Follow up with your doctor for any questions you might have. 

Prevention has its Rewards

Once you’ve had your mammogram, you may earn a $25 gift card. BCBSTX Medicare Advantage members can earn rewards for taking better care of themselves. Just a friendly reminder, registration is needed for the Rewards program to earn rewards.

Would you like to get more content like this? Sign up for a Connect account today.

The Healthy Activity Portal is a website owned and operated by HealthMine, Inc., an independent company that provides digital health and personal clinical engagement tools and services for Blue Cross Medicare Advantage members.

Registration is required to participate. Visit www.BlueRewardsTX.com  to register and see what Healthy Actions earn rewards. Maximum annual rewards of $100 in gift cards. One reward per Healthy Action per year. Healthy Action dates of service must be in the current plan year.  Healthy Actions that earn rewards are subject to change.

Important Plan Information

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Originally published May 30, 2017; Revised 2019, 2020