Highlight
– Breast cancer screening utilization among US women aged 67 and older remained largely stable from 2009 to 2019, with declines in screening among women aged 80 and above.
– Adoption of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) surged from 0% to over 70% among screened women, markedly increasing screening costs.
– Spending on cost-ineffective screening strategies—including annual mammography, DBT, supplemental ultrasound, and screening in women 80+—nearly doubled over the decade, now constituting the majority of Medicare expenditures.
– Strategic reduction of low-value screening could generate substantial savings, enabling reinvestment in high-value screening and diagnostic follow-up.
