The Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to provide all cancer screenings for free, with no charge to the patient. If this is the case, why are a majority of women still not getting screened for cervical cancer?

The American Cancer Society estimates that 12,360 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed and 4,020 women will die from cervical cancer this year. A recent study from the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention showed that more than half of women diagnosed with cervical cancer had never or rarely been screened.

The CDC is providing as much education as possible to providers and patients in regard to cervical cancer. CDC Deputy Director Illeana Arias discussed the new data during a briefing Nov. 5.

"We must increase our efforts to make sure that all women understand the importance of getting screen for cervical cancer," Arias said. "No woman should die from cervical cancer."

Several disparities were found from the conclusion of this study, including:

• Approximately 1 in 10 women had not been screened in the past five years; this included comparable rates for younger and older women.
• Higher percentages of inefficiently screened women over age 40 had the highest rates of cervical cancer occurrences and death relating to the disease.
• Cervical cancer rates were higher in African-American and Hispanic women; death rates being higher for African-Americans.
• Economic factors could have been reason for some disparities in the 8.2 million women who had not been screen in the past five years:
  • 69.9 percent had insurance and a regular healthcare provider
  • 9.6 percent had insurance but no regular healthcare provider
  • 9.8 percent had no insurance but did have a regular healthcare provider
  • 10.7 percent had neither
• The South had the highest rate of cervical cancer, the highest death rate and the largest percentage of women who had not been screened.
• Lack of awareness and lack of transportation were reported as a possible factor and still need to be addressed.

The use of the HPV vaccine could help in reducing the risks of cervical cancer, according to the CDC. Their recommendations state that in 2013 only 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys received the vaccination, but that all children 11-12 years old should receive the vaccine.

Although cervical cancer was one of the most common causes of cancer death in American women, the death rate has decreased by more than 50 percent over the last 30 years. The reason for the decrease was in the Pap smear being used more frequently.

With providers performing a Pap smear on their patients, they can find abnormal cells that could be cancerous or in the early stages of becoming cancer. And if abnormal cells are found, they can be removed before they turn into cancer.

"Every visit to a provider is an opportunity to screen or make sure that women are getting screened and that preteens and teens are getting vaccinated," Arias said.

There's still some debate on whether Pap smears should be tested every year or three to five years. The CDC released guidelines on the matter and stated that it all depends on the circumstance of the patient.

For example, women over 65 who have had three clear screenings in a row do not need to return for the test again. On the other hand, it was found earlier this year that women over 65 could be faced with a higher risk of cervical cancer due to hysterectomies.

With the 8.2 million women who have not been screened in the past five years for cervical cancer, it's apparent that patients still need more education on the recommended preventative services — they have been proven to work.