If you are a woman between 45 and 49 living in Germany, you can now get a mammography for early detection of breast cancer.
The federal government passed the Second Amendment to the Breast Cancer Early Detection Ordinance (Zweite Verordnung zur Änderung der Brustkrebs-Früherkennungs-Verordnung, or BrKrFrühErkV). The law came into force on 5 March 2026.
Earlier, mammography screening (Mammographie-Screening) was only available to women aged 50 to 75. The new ordinance lowers the entry age to 45. Women in this newly eligible group can now get screened every two years.
The ordinance also makes it easier to operate mobile mammography units, known as Mammobiles. These are medical vans that travel to areas with limited access to healthcare.
The new rules outline the following.
- Highly experienced medical assistants (Medizinische Fachangestellte) may take the mammography images without a doctor physically present.
- The supervising doctor can now oversee the procedure remotely using digital technology. However, direct communication and continuous electronic access to the images and device data must be maintained.
NOTE: Public health insurance does not yet cover the cost of mammography.
Why did the government lower the age for mammography screening?
According to the analysis of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, or BfS), the benefit of early breast cancer detection outweighs the radiation-related risks from the X-ray examination.
Germany’s federal environment minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) stated that breast cancer early detection can save lives and that the new rules benefit younger women while strengthening mammography coverage across the country.
What does this mean for you?
- You can book and attend a mammography screening from the age of 45
- Your public health insurance will not yet cover the cost. Costs for a private mammography in Germany range from €100 to €250. Always ask for a quote before booking.
- You pay out of pocket as an individual health service (individuelle Gesundheitsleistung, or IGeL)
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- Cost coverage by statutory insurers will only follow after a decision by the Joint Federal Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, or G-BA).
The G-BA has up to 18 months to decide whether to include women aged 45 to 49 in its cancer screening guidelines. Once the G-BA makes that decision and the Federal Ministry of Health approves it, the screening becomes a standard statutory insurance benefit.
If the G-BA approves, around 1.2 million additional women per year would become eligible for free screening.
NOTE: Women aged 50 to 75 are not affected by this change. They continue to receive screening under the existing programme. This is covered by public health insurance.
