Medicare reimbursement for colorectal screening has been expanded to cover average-risk patients, according to the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG).
The U.S. Congress passed legislation in December, amending a 1997 statute that had provided the initial colorectal cancer screening mandates, according to the ACG.
The Medicare guidelines under this new legislation are:
- Fecal occult blood tests: will be reimbursable annually (when ordered by the patient's attending physician) for all patients.
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy: will be reimbursable once every four years for average-risk patients.
- Screening colonoscopy: will be reimbursable once every ten years for average-risk patients.
- Screening colonoscopy: will continue to be reimbursable once every two years for high-risk patients.
March 6, 2001
Related Reading
MRI accurately predicts tumor-free resection margin in rectal cancer surgery, February 19, 2001
Annual stool test, sigmoidoscopy every 5 years most cost-effective screening, October 19, 2000
Colonoscopy best method for colorectal cancer screening, October 17, 2000
One-time colonoscopy is cost-effective in adults between 50 and 54 years old, July 20, 2000
Copyright © 2001 AuntMinnie.com
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=100&q=70&w=100)
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
