FIG. 1.

Breast and cervical cancer screening: Medicare coverage and United States Preventive services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations. USPSTF Recommendation grades:

A: There is a high level of certainty that net benefit is substantial. Prior to May, 2007, the definition for grade A was the following: “The USPSTF strongly recommend that clinicians provide [the service] to eligible patients. The USPSTF found good evidence that [the service] improves important health outcomes and concludes that benefits substantially outweigh harms.”

B: There is high certainty that the net benefit is moderate or there is moderate certainty that the net benefit is moderate to substantial. Prior to May 2007, the definition for grade B was the following: “The USPSTF recommends that clinicians provide [the service] to eligible patients. The USPSTF found at least fair evidence that [the service] improves important health outcomes and concludes the benefits outweigh harms.”

D: There is moderate or high certainty that the service has no benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits.

I: The current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of the service.