Pap Smear

Although the CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program covers the cost of Pap smears for certain categories of underserved women, most women in the private insurance market would not have access to this screening if states did not take additional steps to provide coverage.

  • Pap Smear

      Strength Of Policy 2007 Change From 2004
    ALABAMA No/Harmful Policy Same
    ALASKA Meets Policy Same
    ARIZONA No/Harmful Policy Same
    ARKANSAS No/Harmful Policy Same
    CALIFORNIA Meets Policy Same
    COLORADO No/Harmful Policy Same
    CONNECTICUT No/Harmful Policy Same
    DELAWARE Meets Policy Same
    DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Meets Policy Same
    FLORIDA No/Harmful Policy Same
    GEORGIA No/Harmful Policy Worse
    HAWAII No/Harmful Policy Same
    IDAHO No/Harmful Policy Same
    ILLINOIS Meets Policy Same
    INDIANA No/Harmful Policy Same
    IOWA No/Harmful Policy Same
    KANSAS Meets Policy Same
    KENTUCKY Meets Policy Better
    LOUISIANA Meets Policy Same
    MAINE Meets Policy Same
    MARYLAND No/Harmful Policy Worse
    MASSACHUSETTS Meets Policy Same
    MICHIGAN No/Harmful Policy Same
    MINNESOTA Meets Policy Same
    MISSISSIPPI No/Harmful Policy Same
    MISSOURI Meets Policy Same
    MONTANA No/Harmful Policy Same
    NEBRASKA No/Harmful Policy Same
    NEVADA Meets Policy Same
    NEW HAMPSHIRE No/Harmful Policy Same
    NEW JERSEY Meets Policy Same
    NEW MEXICO Meets Policy Same
    NEW YORK Meets Policy Same
    NORTH CAROLINA No/Harmful Policy Worse
    NORTH DAKOTA No/Harmful Policy Same
    OHIO Meets Policy Better
    OKLAHOMA No/Harmful Policy Same
    OREGON Meets Policy Same
    PENNSYLVANIA Meets Policy Same
    RHODE ISLAND Meets Policy Same
    SOUTH CAROLINA Meets Policy Same
    SOUTH DAKOTA No/Harmful Policy Same
    TENNESSEE No/Harmful Policy Same
    TEXAS Meets Policy Better
    UTAH No/Harmful Policy Same
    VERMONT No/Harmful Policy Same
    VIRGINIA Meets Policy Same
    WASHINGTON No/Harmful Policy Same
    WEST VIRGINIA Meets Policy Same
    WISCONSIN No/Harmful Policy Same
    WYOMING Meets Policy Same
     
    Meets PolicyMeets Policy 25  
    Limited PolicyLimited Policy 0  
    Weak PolicyWeak Policy 0  
    No/Harmful PolicyNo/Harmful Policy 26  
    Better Better 3  
    Worse Worse 3  
    Same Same 45  

    Does the state require private insurers to cover annual Pap smears and cervical cancer screening?

    States that require private insurers to cover annual Pap smears receive a "meets policy."  States receive a "weak policy" if they only require insurers to offer coverage of Pap smears as a benefit in employer-sponsored insurance plans, but have not required that it be a mandated benefit in all of these insurance plans.  States that do not require insurers to cover annual Pap smears receive a "no policy."

    Data Source: Pap Smear, 2006.

    The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Mandated Benefits: Cancer Screening for Women, 2006," available at http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparetable.jsp?cat=10&ind=488, accessed May 24, 2007.