About Our Breast Health program
Connecting low-income, uninsured residents with breast care.
We Care Manatee Breast Health program covers screening mammograms and diagnostic breast care services so that cancer can be caught early and treated most successfully.
We collaborate with breast care specialists in our community to ensure that preventive care services such as annual mammograms, whole-breast ultrasounds, biopsies, and MRIs are readily available without any cost.
For routine annual mammograms, a referral from your physician is needed. However, if you are experiencing an issue and/or do not have a primary care provider, please contact us. We can help connect you with a Community Partner in the area to establish care.
HOW IT WORKS
See your primary care or OB-GYN.
Your doctor sends us a referral for the services you need.
You bring us proof of income, proof that you live in Manatee County and a valid picture ID.
If eligible, we match you with one of our providers to receive care.
IMPACT
In the past calendar year, our breast health program has had the following impact:
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started?
Becoming a client starts with a referral from your physician or clinic where you get your medical care.
All referrals should be faxed to 941-870-8503 and should include:
- A We Care Manatee Referral Form
- Medical records regarding the care needed
- A signed physician’s order
If you don’t have a physician, call our office at 941-755-3952 and we can help find a clinic to see you.
How do I qualify for the Breast Health Program?
You may be eligible if:
You are an adult age 35+
You have proof that you live in Manatee County
You are at or below 300% of the federal poverty level
You do not have health insurance
What documents do I need to provide?
- Identification: Driver’s License, Passport, Florida ID Card, Permanent Resident Alien Card
- Proof of Age: Driver’s License, Passport, State ID Card
- Manatee County address: Utility Bill, Lease Agreement, Bank/Bill Statement or mailed government document
- Income verification: 4 Weeks of Pay Stubs, Employer Verification, Self-employed Record. If Not Working – Letter of Support from someone who is providing for your needs.
What happens if I need follow up care?
If follow-up care is necessary, we will collaborate with you and your provider to determine coverage of costs and determine the necessary steps. Diagnostic services such as biopsies, ultrasounds, and MRIs are generally covered. Should further steps be required thereafter, we will assist you by referring you to appropriate services
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
A Life Changing Experience
Ten minutes after informing Gertud Kerine Tusnovics that she had Early Stage 2 Breast Cancer, a nurse put her in touch with We Care Manatee. Gertud marvels at how quickly the application process went, and treatment began.
“Everything happened so fast, so quick,” she says.
Thanks to what Tusnovics describes as “a really amazing rapid response” from Kyle and the We Care team, within a very short period she received the services—a biopsy, ultrasound, two surgeries, radiation, bone density test and oncology visits—needed to remove the cancer and restore her health.
“I want to thank you and your team for helping me get through my breast cancer diagnosis. Special thanks to all the doctors and nurses who were always very helpful and friendly. I am grateful that I found your organization and hope you will be able to continue helping patients in need—like me,” the grandmother of three expressed in an email thanking Kyle and the We Care Manatee team for their kindness and support.
“I really don’t know where I’d be without Kyle and We Care Manatee,” she said. “They were very very helpful and caring. We Care Manatee changed by life.”
