Direct and indirect costs of the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Program

Norway has had a nationwide, biennial public screening program for breast cancer since 2005. The program includes all women aged 50-69 years. The aim of this study was to estimate the total societal costs of one screening round. The cost analysis was based on the number women in the relevant age group, the proportions attending screening, estimated travel time to nearest mammography facility, and the proportion of women having repeat examination. Unit costs were taken from the DRG price list and other sources. The cost of mobile mammography units were based on cost accounts. The total costs of one screening round were estimated to be NOK 521 million (NOK 1,262 per woman attending screening), of which 64% were health care costs, and 36% were travel costs and productivity losses. The total costs of repeat examinations in one screening round for women with suspicious findings or inadequate quality on the screening mammograms were NOK 52.8 million (NOK 3,655 per woman reexamined). NOK 44.4 million of these costs may be due to false positive findings in the screening mammograms.