PIERRE, SD – The South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) is expanding eligibility for the All Women Count! (AWC!) Program by lowering the minimum age from 30 to 21, allowing more South Dakota women to access breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services. The expanded eligibility will take effect Sept. 1, 2026.
“Early detection plays an important role in improving outcomes for women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer,” said South Dakota Department of Health Secretary Melissa Magstadt. “By expanding eligibility for All Women Count! we are helping more South Dakota women access recommended screenings and diagnostic services, regardless of whether they have adequate health insurance coverage.”
Beginning Sept. 1, cervical cancer screening through AWC! will be available to income-eligible South Dakota women ages 21 to 64. The change aligns the program’s cervical cancer screening eligibility with U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations, which recommend cervical cancer screening beginning at age 21.
Breast cancer eligibility is also expanding. Women ages 21 to 29 who have a sign or symptom suspicious for breast cancer, such as a breast lump, will now be eligible for AWC! breast cancer diagnostic services if they meet the program’s income requirements.
AWC! breast cancer services will be available to:
- Women ages 40 to 64.
- Women ages 30 to 39 who are at high risk for breast cancer.
- Women ages 21 to 39 who have a sign or symptom suspicious for breast cancer.
Women under age 40 who need a breast cancer screening or diagnostic service must receive pre-authorization from the AWC! Program before the service is provided.
The AWC! Program provides breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services at no cost to eligible women through participating healthcare providers across South Dakota. The program serves women who are uninsured or underinsured and have a household income at or below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
To learn more about the AWC! Program, including eligibility requirements and participating providers, visit GetScreenedSD.org/AWC or call 1-800-738-2301.
At the heart of the Department of Health’s mission is a simple goal: to protect and improve the health of all South Dakotans. The department is entrusted with the vital task of promoting wellness, preventing disease, and ensuring access to quality healthcare for all South Dakotans.
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