Virtual Colonoscopies And Medicare

Floor Speech

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, the President just had a physical and is apparently very healthy. Among the tests he had was a virtual colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer. A virtual colonoscopy employs x ray technology that produces a three-dimensional image of the entire colorectal structure. However, it is much less invasive and does not require sedation that is often needed for a standard colonoscopy.

I bring this up because the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have denied coverage of this procedure for seniors enrolled in Medicare. Colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer 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. Many insurers like Anthem Blue Cross-Blue Shield and CIGNA cover this virtual procedure but not Medicare.

The National Cancer Institute Colorectal Cancer Progress Review Group predicts that the minimal invasiveness and lower cost of this procedure could attract more people to be screened, with the possibility of saving 20,000 lives annually. The President has set an example. The American Cancer Society recommends it. Medicare should cover it as a provided procedure.

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