Colorectal cancer: third most common cancer diagnosis in the U.S.
Approximately 90 percent treatable when caught early.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and you may have heard by now that the new recommended age to start colorectal cancer screening is 45.
The U.S. Preventative Task Force recommends adults age 45 to 75 be screened for colorectal cancer. MSU’s medical plan pays 100% of covered charges for a preventative colorectal screening when provided by an in-network provider. This coverage is extended to less invasive screenings, such as Cologuard.
Other resources and articles:
Healthcare.gov: Get-Screened-Colorectal-Cancer
Mercy: Colon cancer prevention & Genetic testing
Diagnostic or preventive?
Knowing the difference between preventative and diagnostic can help prevent unexpected costs. Below is a “general rule of thumb”; always consult with your physician and feel free to reach out to Med-Pay, for a more information.
- Preventive or screening tests are performed on a patient who is asymptomatic (no gastrointestinal symptoms either past or present), is 45 years of age or older, and has no personal or family history of colon polyps and/or colon cancer.
- Diagnostic testing is performed on a patient who has gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, diarrhea) or who has past and/or present polyps or gastrointestinal disease (e.g. Crohn’s Colitis, etc.).
- If polyps are found, removed or biopsied during a screening colonoscopy, the insurance claim may be recategorized from a screening to a diagnostic with inclusion diagnostic coding (screening benefit may no longer apply).
MSU Medical plans consider preventative colonoscopy at 100% of covered charges when provided by an in-network provider.
Critical illness insurance benefits
A potential cancer diagnosis is scary, but early detection can save lives. The Critical illness insurance is of value for both employees and dependents. Employees and/or their dependents enrolled in the Allstate Critical illness plan are eligible to receive a $100 wellness reimbursement for covered wellness/preventative care related activities, including screening colonoscopy. Those enrolled in the plan who receive an invasive cancer diagnosis would receive a benefit of either $10,000 (plan 1) or $20,000 (plan2). Funds are payable directly to the employee and can be used to offset medical costs, or may be utilized as you see fit (e.g. Auto/Home payments, groceries, etc).
Plan Enrollment
Enrollment/Changes can only be made to the Medical and Critical illness plans yearly during open enrollment (November 1- December 1), or within 31 days of a qualifying event.