Several organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Texas Health Resources, offer free or reduced-cost screenings to qualifying individuals.
Texas Health Resources
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is underway this October, and North Texans who need a mammogram but are uninsured or concerned about the cost may have local options.
Regular screening mammograms continue to be the “golden standard” for detecting breast cancer, said Nina Burgos, director of Texas Health Resources’ mobile health program.
“We want to find cancer before it has a chance to grow and spread,” Burgos said. “When we find it early, treatment can be less extensive, and the chances of successful treatment are better.”
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Several organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area offer free or reduced-cost screenings to qualifying individuals. Here’s what to know.
How often should I be getting a mammogram?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the U.S., other than skin cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women ages 40 to 74 who are at an “average risk” for breast cancer get a mammogram every two years.
The task force, which is made up of doctors and disease experts, previously recommended women in their 40s make an individual decision with their clinician on when to start screening. However, the task force updated that guidance in 2024 and now recommends women start getting screened when they turn 40.
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Burgos said the recommendation to begin routine screening at age 40 was because younger people were being diagnosed with breast cancer. Screening can detect breast cancer before someone feels a lump or notices other symptoms, she said.
Related: When should you get a mammogram? Conflicting advice makes it hard to know
Most health insurance plans are required to cover screening mammograms every one to two years for women beginning at age 40 with no out-of-pocket cost, according to the CDC.
However, some North Texans may be uninsured or underinsured, the latter meaning individuals may have health insurance but services are inaccessible or not affordable.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 data, more than 5 million Texans are uninsured, making up nearly 17% of the state. However, in Dallas County, that rate is much higher at nearly 22%, or an estimated 575,882 individuals without health insurance.
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Related: How the environment may affect your breast cancer risk
Where can I find a free or reduced-cost mammogram in Dallas-Fort Worth?
Various D-FW organizations offer free or reduced-cost mammograms year-round for qualifying individuals through mobile units or on-site services, including Parkland Health, Texas Health Resources and Moncrief Cancer Institute.
Related: How Dallas oncologists are treating breast cancer with subzero temperatures
Texas Health Resources will be setting up shop this month with its mobile health unit throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The mobile unit will typically be at each location from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., according to Lisa Rose, manager of the Wellness for Life Mobile Health Program.
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Patients wishing to use Texas Health’s mobile clinic must be able to stand unassisted for about 10 to 15 minutes during the exam. Additionally, patients must be physically able to enter and exit the mobile unit independently, which includes navigating stairs, Rose said.
To visit the mobile unit, Rose said individuals should make an appointment, but walk-ins will be accepted if the unit has capacity.
Mammography services are available to both insured and uninsured individuals, and uninsured individuals may qualify for financial assistance funding, Rose said. For those with insurance, Burgos said Texas Health will determine whether their resources are in-network during registration.
To schedule an appointment, call 855-318-7696 or submit a request through the website.
Oct. 24
Binational Health Fair, 4849 W Illinois Ave., Dallas
Beth Eden Missionary Baptist Church, 3208 Wilbarger St., Fort Worth
Oct. 28
Duncanville’s First Baptist Church, 323 Wheatland Road, Duncanville
Oct. 29
Five-Star Ford, 6618 NE Loop 820, North Richland Hills
Oct. 30
Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 920 14th St., Plano
Canales Furniture, 2002 E Abram St., Arlington
Oct. 31
MLK Community Center, 5565 Truman Drive, Fort Worth
New Mount Zion Baptist Church, 9550 Shepherd Road, Dallas
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More mobile unit dates through Texas Health for November can be found at texashealth.org.
Other mammography services are available in Dallas-Fort Worth through Parkland Health and the Moncrief Cancer Institute.
Women ages 40 to 74 who live in Dallas County and haven’t had a mammogram in the last 12 months are eligible to schedule an appointment at select Parkland health centers. According to Parkland’s website, individuals should call 214-266-3333 to request an appointment.
Parkland will also provide no-cost mammograms to qualifying individuals at three upcoming events in Dallas, including:
Foremost Family Health Centers
7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oct. 27
2922-B Martin Luther King Jr., Dallas
Southeast Health Center
7 a.m. to noon, Nov. 7
9202 Elam Road, Dallas
Moody Outpatient Center
7 a.m. to noon, Nov. 14
5151 Maple Ave., Ste. 1A, Dallas
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Individuals planning to attend Parkland’s events must register at parklandhealth.org/mammograms-save-lives.
Moncrief Cancer Institute also has a mobile screening clinic for mammograms, but its appointments are booked through the end of the year, said Tracy Greene, marketing and communications manager for Moncrief Cancer Institute.
However, there are available appointments in Moncrief’s building at 400 W. Magnolia Ave. in Fort Worth, Greene said.
To qualify for a free mammogram at Moncrief Cancer Institute, women must be ages 40 to 74, considered uninsured or underinsured and it must have been at least one year since their last mammogram.
Individuals can call Moncrief at 800-405-7739 or submit an online request at moncrief.com/breast-cancer-screening. A member of their team will determine if they meet the screening and financial eligibility criteria and then schedule an appointment.