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ACR sent a letter to President Barack Obama to congratulate him on his recent physical exam with a commend for him to recognize the importance and benefits of the CT colonography.

According to ACR, CT colonography employs cutting-edge low radiation dose technology to produce a three-dimensional, fly-through visualization of the entire colorectal structure (colon and rectum). CTC is proven to be as accurate as standard colonoscopy in average risk patients such as yourself in clinical trials and as indicated by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Technology Evaluation Center (TEC). Advantages include that it is much less invasive, and does not require sedation. Patients can go back to normal daily activity immediately following the procedure. In your case, this was particularly important, as you did not have to nominate a designee for office during the study.

Many private insurers, including CIGNA, United Healthcare, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield now cover screening and diagnostic CT colonography for their beneficiaries. However, Medicare patients continue to be denied coverage of CT colonography. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed among men and women in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death, despite having a 90 percent cure rate when detected early. This is because less than half of those 50 and older who should be screened for the disease opt to receive any of the screening exams currently covered by Medicare. Medicare’s denial of coverage, in effect, creates a two-tier coverage approach to screening coverage for this deadly disease: one for those who have private insurance and lesser coverage for Medicare beneficiaries.

"The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ( CMS ) should cover CT colonography for Medicare patients so that our nation’s seniors have the same levelof access as yourself. CT colonography’s minimal invasiveness and lower cost has the ability to attract far more people to be screened and ultimately save lives, particularly in the minority community where screening rates have historically been low. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society released a study demonstrating that the disparity between white and non-white Medicare enrollees receiving colonoscopy screening increased between 1995 and 2003", it stated.

The American Cancer Society endorses CT colonography and added it to its list of recommended colorectal cancer screening exams and suggests that the exam be repeated every five years. Medicare coverage of CT colonography would be a tremendous leap forward in the battle against one of the nation’s leading cancer killers.

Source : ACR

You can get more details about CT & its related topics from our CT User Group.