Germany will cover breast cancer screenings from age 45
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Germany’s Joint Federal Committee decided to lower the age for free breast cancer screenings, called mammography, to 45, allowing women to begin regular checkups earlier.
Currently, public health insurance in Germany covers these screenings for women aged 50 to 75. Younger women have previously had to pay for the examinations themselves. The decision is now under review by legal authorities within the Federal Ministry of Health.
If no issues arise, the new rule will take effect on August 1, 2027, with personal invitations to schedule appointments expected to begin in January 2028. The Joint Federal Committee, composed of representatives from medical professionals, psychotherapists, hospitals, and health insurance funds, determines which medical services are covered by statutory health insurance.
While the effectiveness of mammography has been debated, with some critics citing potential for overdiagnosis, studies suggest early diagnosis through screening reduced breast cancer deaths by 20 to 30 percent among women aged 50 to 69 between 2009 and 2018.
