The President recently signed the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act (also known as the Medicare Loophole Bill) into law: What does this mean?
What is the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Screening Act?
Simply put, the Affordable Care Act covered screening colonoscopies for individuals on Medicare. However, there was a loophole in this law.
What was that "loophole'?
If a polyp were found and removed during a screening, the patient would receive an unexpected charge. As a result, many high-risk Medicare patients opted out of getting screened to avoid a hefty bill.
The Medicare Loophole bill now ensures that seniors on Medicare will NOT receive a surprise bill if polyps are detected and removed during a routine screening colonoscopy.
While the bill aiming to close this loophole was introduced in 2012 and received bipartisan support, Congress ultimately passed it on December 21st, 2020. It was signed into law by President Trump on December 27th, 2020.
The Medicare Loophole bill now ensures that seniors on Medicare will NOT receive a surprise bill if polyps are detected and removed during a routine screening colonoscopy.
Colorectal cancer can be prevented with regular screening, yet it remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the US. Removing this barrier will ensure more patients get the necessary screenings, saving lives and making this bill monumental.
Here are some takeaways on this from a public health point of view.
Be aware. Be seen. Be screened if warranted.
Keep encouraging friends, family, and coworkers to have a screening colonoscopy, as it saves lives from a truly preventable form of cancer.
Colorectal Cancer Provider Outreach Program (CRC POP) 💙 | Help. Here. Now. You are not alone. | http://www.coloncancer.support 💙💙💙 This is a NEW program for all Gastroenterologists 🥼 to help patients at the “time of diagnosis.”
Colorectal Cancer Provider Outreach Program (CRC POP) 💙 | Help. Here. Now. You are not alone. | http://www.coloncancer.support
💙💙💙 Share this with your Gastroenterologist 🥼 to help patients at the “time of diagnosis.”
Brian Dooreck MD | Gastroenterology | Colorectal Cancer Provider Outreach Program (CRC POP) 💙 | Help. Here. Now. You are not alone. | http://www.coloncancer.support
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