NORTHEAST PA – Cervical cancer is highly preventable with regular screening, yet many women in the Poconos skip pap smears due to cost or lack of insurance.

The good news: Free cervical cancer screenings are available to eligible women across Monroe, Wayne, Pike, Lackawanna, and Carbon counties through Pennsylvania’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (PA-BCCEDP) and other local resources.

Here’s everything you need to know to access free screenings in your county.

Who Qualifies for Free Pap Smears?

The PA-BCCEDP provides free cervical cancer screenings to women who meet the following criteria:

Age: 21 to 64 years old

Insurance Status:

• Uninsured, OR
• Underinsured (insurance doesn’t cover screening or has unaffordable co-pays/deductibles)
• Medicaid Family Planning Services only (eligible)
• NOT eligible if enrolled in Medicare Part B or full Medicaid

Income Limits (2025 at 250% FPL):

• 1 person – $38,295
• 2 people – $51,905
• 3 people – $65,515
• 4 people – $79,125
• 5 people – $92,735
• 6 people – $106,345
• Each additional person – add $13,610

To enroll: Call 1-800-215-7494 (Adagio Health) for all Pocono-area counties.

Monroe County

Monroe County residents have multiple options for free or low-cost cervical screenings.

Planned Parenthood – Stroudsburg

• Address: Stroudsburg, PA
• Phone: 1-800-230-PLAN
• Services: Pap smears, HPV testing, STI screening, birth control
• Cost: Sliding scale based on income; many services free for qualifying patients

Maternal & Family Health Services (MFHS)

• Phone: 570-826-1777
• Website: mfhs.org
• Services: Reproductive health, pap smears, family planning, breast and cervical screening
• Coverage: Monroe County is one of nine NEPA counties served

PA-BCCEDP Enrollment

• Phone: 1-800-215-7494
• Eligibility: Ages 21-64, income at or below 250% FPL, uninsured/underinsured

Wayne County

Wayne County residents benefit from Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers and regional health networks.

Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers

• Honesdale Family Health Center
  • Services include women’s health, gynecological exams
• Hamlin Family Health Center
  • 543 Easton Turnpike, Hamlin, PA 18427
  • Phone: (570) 689-9965
  • Hours: Monday-Thursday, varies by day

Women’s Health Center – Carbondale

• Address: 150 Brooklyn Street, Carbondale, PA 18407
• Phone: (570) 282-2031
• Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8am-4:30pm
• Services: OB/GYN, pap smears, cervical screening

VA Wayne County Clinic (for veterans)

• Services: Women’s primary care, pap smears, mammograms
• Contact: Schedule through VA Wilkes-Barre health care system

PA-BCCEDP Enrollment: 1-800-215-7494

Pike County

Pike County residents can access women’s health services through Wayne Memorial’s satellite locations.

Women’s Health Center of Pike County

• Address: 1592 State Route 739, Dingmans Ferry, PA
• Phone: (570) 775-8838
• Hours:
  • Tuesday: 7am-7pm
  • Wednesday: 7am-7pm
  • Thursday: 8:30am-5pm
• Services: OB/GYN, pap smears, cervical screening, prenatal care
• Providers: OB/GYN physicians and Certified Nurse Midwives

Pike County Family Health Center – Lords Valley

• Address: 750 Route 739, Lords Valley, PA 18428
• Services: Cancer screening, clinical breast exams, pap smears, follow-up diagnostic care

The Wright Center for Community Health

• Coverage: Pike County included in service area
• Phone: 570-591-5250
• Services: Pap smears, HPV testing, gynecological exams
• Cost: Sliding scale for uninsured; accepts Medicaid/Medicare

PA-BCCEDP Enrollment: 1-800-215-7494

Lackawanna County

Lackawanna County offers the most extensive network of free and low-cost women’s health services in the region.

The Wright Center for Community Health Multiple locations throughout Lackawanna County:

• Scranton – 501 S. Washington Ave., Suite 1000 | (570) 941-0630
• North Scranton – 1721 N. Main Ave. | (570) 346-8417
• Clarks Summit – 1145 Northern Blvd., South Abington Twp. | (570) 585-1300
• Mid Valley (Jermyn) – 5 S. Washington Ave. | (570) 230-0019

Services: Pap smears, HPV testing, bone density testing, birth control, STI testing Cost: Sliding scale for uninsured patients; all patients seen regardless of ability to pay

MFHS Circle of Care – Scranton

• Services: Reproductive health, family planning, preventive screenings
• Phone: 570-826-1777

Edward R. Leahy Jr. Clinic for the Uninsured

• Location: University of Scranton campus
• Eligibility: Uninsured Lackawanna County residents
• Services: Free non-emergency health care, including women’s health services
• Cost: Free

Pennsylvania Department of Health – Lackawanna County

• Address: 100 Lackawanna Ave., Room 110, Scranton, PA 18503
• Phone: (570) 963-4567
• Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm

PA-BCCEDP Enrollment: 1-800-215-7494

Carbon County

Carbon County residents can access cervical screening through regional health networks and state facilities.

Carbon County State Health Center

• Address: 616 North Street, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
• Phone: (570) 325-6106
• Services: Various health-related services; contact for specific offerings

Health Center at Carbon (Lehigh Valley Health Network)

• Address: 2226 Blakeslee Blvd. Drive E., Lehighton, PA 18235
• Services: OB/GYN, breast health services, cancer care
• Website: lvhn.org

St. Luke’s Health Center – Jim Thorpe

• Services: Primary care, lab services, referrals to women’s health specialists
• Website: slhn.org

Maternal & Family Health Services

• Coverage: Carbon County included in service area
• Phone: 570-826-1777
• Services: Reproductive health, pap smears, breast and cervical screening

PA-BCCEDP Enrollment: 1-800-215-7494

Why Pap Smears Matter

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers when detected early.

Key Facts:

• HPV infection causes 99% of cervical cancer cases
• Regular screening can detect precancerous cells before they become cancer
• The HPV vaccine prevents more than 90% of HPV-caused cancers
• Early detection survival rate: Nearly 100% when caught at earliest stage

Screening Guidelines:

• Ages 21-29: Pap test every 3 years
• Ages 30-65: Pap test every 3 years, OR Pap + HPV co-testing every 5 years
• Over 65: May stop screening if adequate prior screening and no history of precancer

If Cancer Is Detected

If breast or cervical cancer—or a precancerous condition—is found through the PA-BCCEDP, you may qualify for free treatment through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Program (BCCPT).

BCCPT covers:

• Full Medicaid services for treatment
• No income limits
• Available to uninsured patients under age 65
• U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens

To apply: Your screening provider will submit the application on your behalf.

Take Action

Don’t let cost be a barrier to cervical cancer screening.

Statewide Hotline: 1-800-215-7494 (Adagio Health)

Call today to find out if you qualify for free screening and locate a provider near you.