Colon cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Getting screened for colon cancer is an important way to protect your health. Colon cancer can be successfully treated when it is found and treated early. Until it grows or spreads, colon cancer usually has no symptoms. So screening is vital for early detection. Talk to your doctor about which type of screening test is best for you. There are several options. Some are simple in-home tests. Others, like a colonoscopy, are done by a doctor.<\/p>\n
Colon cancer used to be a disease that mainly affected people over 45, but studies show it\u2019s becoming more common in younger people. Catching it early gives people of all ages a better chance at successful treatment. If you\u2019re between the ages of 45 and 75, talk to your doctor about routine colorectal cancer screening. If a history of colon cancer runs in your family, speak up. You may need earlier testing.<\/p>\n
Preventive and Diagnostic Tests It\u2019s important to know that there are both\u00a0screening\u00a0and\u00a0diagnostic\u00a0versions of many tests. For example, colonoscopies and mammograms have both types of tests.<\/p>\n Preventive<\/strong> Many health plans cover most preventive health care services with no out-of-pocket costs when you go to your primary care provider. That means you pay no copay or coinsurance even if you haven\u2019t met your deductible. Call you provider to find out more.<\/p>\n Diagnostic A diagnostic test is considered medical care, not preventive care.\u00a0You may have out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic tests.<\/strong><\/p>\n For a colonoscopy, how much you may have to pay is based on what is ordered by your doctor and other factors.<\/p>\n Get the Details on Your Costs<\/strong><\/p>\n To avoid unexpected out-of-pocket costs, ask your doctor what type of test is being ordered and what the estimated cost (if any) will be.<\/p>\n Give the person who books your appointment the specific information from your health plan ID card. Make sure that the provider who will do the procedure is in-network. And ask if there are other providers who will be involved. Additional providers may perform related services like anesthesia and blood tests. Make sure all of the providers involved are in your plan\u2019s network.<\/p>\n Ask what facility you\u2019ll be using and if it is in your plan\u2019s network. And there may be additional costs for related services, such as bowel prep medicines, pathology tests and facility fees. Ask if you will have any related services that will affect your cost.<\/p>\n Visit bcbstx.com\/tamus<\/a> to get more information on benefits and costs. You can also call your personal Health Advocate at 866.285.1212, or live chat at bcbstx.com\/tamus<\/a>. Colon cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Getting screened for colon cancer is an important way to protect your health. Colon cancer can be successfully treated when it is found and treated early. Until it grows or spreads, colon cancer usually has no symptoms. So screening is vital for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1971,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,6,38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-benefits-news","category-medical","category-wellness"],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/strong>Asking questions up front can help you understand the type of test your doctor orders and how your health plan will pay for it. And as with other health visits, going to an in-network provider can save you money.<\/p>\n
A\u00a0screening\u00a0version is considered\u00a0preventive\u00a0care. Preventive screenings<\/strong> are routine tests ordered when there is no reason to suspect a problem. They are generally done at certain ages and intervals, like every two years.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>If a person has\u00a0symptoms or signs of a problem<\/strong>, a\u00a0diagnostic<\/strong>\u00a0test will be ordered. Diagnostic tests take a closer look to see if disease is present. A diagnostic test may be ordered if anything unusual shows up on a preventive screening test.<\/p>\n\n
For those enrolled in the 65 Plus Medicare Advantage Plan (PPO) call 855.476.4149. You can also visit the BCBSTX MA<\/a> website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"