Health Care System Factors for Colorectal Cancer Screening

Health Care System Factors

Medicare will pay for an annual fecal occult blood test, a flexible sigmoidoscopy every four years, and a colonoscopy every ten years for persons with Medicare aged 50 or older who are at average risk for colorectal cancer. Medicare also covers surveillance of high risk patients (those with a personal history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps or a history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps in a first degree relative or those diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease) with colonoscopy every two years.