Your Medicare Coverage
Is my test, item, or service covered?
Colorectal cancer screenings
How often is it covered?
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers several types of colorectal cancer screening tests to help find precancerous growths or find cancer early, when treatment is most effective. One or more of these tests may be covered:
- Screening barium enema: When this test is used instead of a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, Medicare covers it once every 48 months if you're 50 or over and once every 24 months if you're at high risk for colorectal cancer.
- Screening colonoscopy: Medicare covers this test once every 24 months if you're at high risk for colorectal cancer. If you aren't at high risk for colorectal cancer, Medicare covers this test once every 120 months, or 48 months after a previous flexible sigmoidoscopy.
- Screening fecal occult blood test: Medicare covers this lab test once every 12 months if you're 50 or older.
- Multi-target stool DNA test: Medicare covers this at-home test once every 3 years for people who meet all of these conditions:
- They’re between 50–85.
- They show no signs or symptoms of colorectal disease including, but not limited to, lower gastrointestinal pain, blood in stool, positive guaiac fecal occult blood test or fecal immunochemical test.
- They’re at average risk for developing colorectal cancer, meaning:
- They have no personal history of adenomatous polyps, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.
- They have no family history of colorectal cancers or adenomatous polyps, familial adenomatous polyposis, or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.
- Screening flexible sigmoidoscopy: Medicare covers this test once every 48 months for most people 50 or older. If you aren't at high risk, Medicare covers this test 120 months after a previous screening colonoscopy.
Who's eligible?
All people age 50 or older with Part B are covered. People of any age are eligible for a colonoscopy.
Your costs in Original Medicare
- For barium enemas, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the doctor's services. In a hospital outpatient setting, you also pay a copayment.
- You pay nothing for a multi-target stool DNA test.
- If a screening colonoscopy or screening flexible sigmoidoscopy results in the biopsy or removal of a lesion or growth during the same visit, the procedure is considered diagnostic and you may have to pay coinsurance and/or a copayment, but the Part B deductible doesn't apply.
- You pay nothing for the screening fecal occult blood test. This screening test is covered if you get a referral from your doctor, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist.
- You pay nothing for the screening colonoscopy or screening flexible sigmoidoscopy, if your doctor accepts assignment.
To find out how much your specific test, item, or service will cost, talk to your doctor or other health care provider. The specific amount you’ll owe may depend on several things, like:
- Other insurance you may have
- How much your doctor charges
- Whether your doctor accepts assignment
- The type of facility
- The location where you get your test, item, or service
Your doctor or other health care provider may recommend you get services more often than Medicare covers. Or, they may recommend services that Medicare doesn’t cover. If this happens, you may have to pay some or all of the costs. It’s important to ask questions so you understand why your doctor is recommending certain services and whether Medicare will pay for them.