New legislation has been introduced that would remove cost barriers to colon cancer screening for Medicare patients.
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have crafted the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act (HR 1070 and S 2348) to offer Medicare beneficiaries the same benefits as those with private insurance, who are not typically required to pay a co-pay for a routine colonoscopy if a polyp is removed during the procedure.
Currently, colonoscopy screening is classified as a routine procedure for seniors on Medicare. However, if a physician detects a polyp during the procedure and removes it, the procedure is immediately classified as "therapeutic," which could result in unexpected charges for the patient.
