Colon cancer screening poses more risks, drains Medicare funds
Colon Cancer Screening Overdone
Colon cancer screening is important for older Americans and has become a common test in many facilities across the United States.
But a new study of 200,000 Medicare patients suggests that colon cancer screening may be overdone and needlessly repeated for many people, which may be exposing themselves to greater risks than benefits from undergoing the tests.
Moreover, the unwarranted screening tests are draining Medicare funds which would have been needed for other more appropriate cases.
The study, led by Dr. James Goodwin of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, shows that 50 percent of those surveyed had a repeat colonoscopy just seven years after getting normal results. The guidelines say colon cancer screening must be done every ten years starting at age 50 for people with average risk.
For those over 80 with prior normal results, the tests can be skipped altogether because the risks outweigh the benefits, but the study shows about one-third of people belonging to this age group had repeat testing within seven years.
Colon cancer screening saves many thousands of lives every year because of early detection. During the procedure called colonoscopy, the physician inserts a flexible tube to look for signs of colon cancer. It is generally safe but carries some risks like bleeding and perforation of tissue.
Medicare should be paying repeat colonoscopy tests only after several years but the data shows even earlier repeated tests are being paid and just 2 percent among those included in the study were denied claims.
While colon cancer screening may be overused in older people, the procedure is underutilized among Blacks, Hispanics and those without health insurance.
Posted by
George Daniels
on Tuesday May 10 2011, 5:47 AM EST.
Ref: AP.
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Filed under Featured News, Health.
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