Medicare Extends Colorectal Screening Reimbursement

:Medicare Extends Colorectal Screening Reimbursement

@boyd:WASHINGTON, DC-March is National Colorectal Cancer Month and healthcare workers nationally are leading education campaigns to teach people about the disease.

Colorectal Cancer is the second leading cancer in the US. Beginning July 1, Medicare beneficiaries will have expanded benefits and will be reimbursed for a screening colonoscopy. Physicians want their patients to know that money is no longer an excuse to not be examined. Congress passed legislation in December providing reimbursement for the following procedures: fecal occult blood test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and screening colonoscopy.

This form of cancer kills 56,000 Americans annually. Those at risk are people 50 or older, African American or Hispanic, or those who have family history of the disease.

The complications of colorectal cancer are minimized when patients have regular screenings. Even though Medicare helps reduce the financial barrier from people being screened, physicians often complain that people do not take advantage of the reimbursements.

The educational campaigns taking place this month are aimed at getting more people into the doctor's office for a screening.

Information from ww.internetwire.com