CT Colonography (CTC) Insurance Information - My CT Colonography (2024)

FAQs

Is CT colonography covered by insurance? ›

Most commercial insurance providers, Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans cover CTC as a diagnostic test. This is important especially if you have a failed colonoscopy or cannot undergo a colonoscopy due to medical reasons.

CTC or CT Colonography is a screening test for colorectal cancer. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that men and women aged 50–75 be screened for colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society also makes this recommendation.

CT (computed tomography) colonography is a test that uses CT scans to check the large bowel (colon) and back passage (rectum). It's also called a virtual colonoscopy. You have this test as an outpatient in the CT scanning (or radiology) department at the hospital.

Because of the higher participation rates, CT colonography screening for colorectal cancer is more cost-effective than colonoscopy screening.

In some instances, a CT scan might be an excluded procedure under your health insurance policy, or you may have neglected to obtain the required pre-authorization. Other reasons a CT scan could be denied would be if your insurance company deemed the CT scan to be medically unnecessary.

The average colonoscopy test cost in India ranges from about INR 5,000 to INR 25,000 or more. In Hyderabad, the average colonoscopy test charges may range from INR Rs. 3000/- to INR Rs. 15,000/-.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that have sloughed off the primary tumor and extravasate into and circulate in the blood. Understanding of the metastatic cascade of CTCs has tremendous potential for the identification of targets against cancer metastasis.

Our observational data derived from cancer patients suggests a count of less than 3 CTC/ml (0.1-2.9 CTC/ml) to be usually associated with mild risk of malignancy (Stage I), a count of 3-20 CTC/ml with moderate risk (Stage II and III), and >20 CTC/ml with high risk of malignancy (Stage IV), including metastasis, ...

In breast cancer, presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood and disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in bone marrow predicts poor clinical outcome, both in early and metastatic setting. Beyond that, persistence of CTCs/DTCs is associated with shorter relapse-free interval as well.

A drawback of CT colonography is radiation exposure, and finding unrelated abnormalities outside the colon that can lead to unnecessary tests. While CT colonography is about 88.7% accurate at finding certain polyps, it is less accurate than colonoscopy overall.

How reliable is a CT colonography? ›

Colorectal cancer is the 3rd most common type of cancer and the 3rd leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Colonoscopies have long been the standard screening procedure for detecting growths in the colon, but CT Colonography is a comparably accurate, non-invasive alternative.

CT colonography is a computed tomography ( CT ) examination to look at the large bowel (colon). It is a method of diagnosing bowel cancer when it is still at an early stage. A CT machine uses x-rays and advanced computers to create detailed images. We then examine these images to check the health of your bowel.

Federal law. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires both private insurers and Medicare to cover the costs of colorectal cancer screening tests, because these tests are recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

Although the carbon dioxide used to inflate your bowel is absorbed quite quickly following the procedure, some minor abdominal discomfort may remain for 1-2 hours. Returning to your normal diet and moving around will help ease any remaining discomfort. Pain relief medication may be taken if you wish.

Paying for a Colonoscopy

Shop around for your colonoscopy by calling hospitals and surgery centers to compare services and costs. Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) often charge less than half of what hospitals charge for colonoscopy procedures.

Is there a cost? Yes. Virtual colonoscopy is not insured by Alberta Health Care Insurance. The cost of a virtual colonoscopy at MIC is $675.00.

Soon after the ACA became law, some insurance companies considered a colonoscopy to no longer be just a “screening” test if a polyp was removed during the procedure. It would then be a “diagnostic” test, and would therefore be subject to co-pays and deductibles.

Recommended screening strategies include: High-sensitivity guaiac fecal occult blood test (HSgFOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year. Stool DNA-FIT every 1 to 3 years. Computed tomography colonography every 5 years.