Virtual Colonoscopy Still Vying for Medicare Coverage

Virtual colonoscopy advocates are still trying to convince Medicare to cover the procedure. With over 50,000 deaths annually and over 5,000 new cases every year of Colorectal Cancer, some physicians are pushing preventive imaging. Houston Chronicle article about virtual colonoscopies said, "One surefire way to reduce deaths is by screening to identify CRC when it is curable. Colorectal cancer often arises from mushroomlike growths inside the colon known as polyps, and removal of polyps can prevent a cancer from developing into a more lethal form. Although several tests exist today, less than half of eligible adults have undergone any of these, and the screening rates are even lower in minorities, where the disease exacts an even greater toll." The article interviewed the University of Texas doctor who invented the virtual colonoscopy in 1993. The decision by Medicare to opt out paying for procedures has caused the notion of preventative imaging to make headlines, so it may actually bring good coverage for the industry even if Medicare isn't paying for it. After all awareness and education is key to prevention.