Brazil requires health plans to cover prescribed digital mammograms at any age

People covered by health plans across Brazil will gain broader access to digital mammography from 1 October. Under a new rule from the National Supplementary Health Agency, plans must cover the examination whenever a doctor considers it necessary, regardless of the patient’s age or gender.

The change replaces a requirement limited to women aged 40 to 69. It also extends mandatory coverage to men and nonbinary people, while retaining the need for a medical request. The agency approved the expansion on 3 September after discussions by the commission that reviews which procedures health plans must provide. Most commission members considered digital mammography an established standard in cancer care and warned that demographic restrictions could delay timely diagnosis.

Digital mammography can reveal breast changes before they can be felt. Compared with conventional mammography, it involves lower radiation exposure and a shorter period of breast compression. Its images can also be stored, shared among specialists and compared with earlier examinations.

Early detection can improve the chances of successful treatment and may reduce the need for more invasive procedures. The National Cancer Institute estimates that Brazil has about 73,610 new breast cancer cases each year.