New York State (NYS) Medicaid has expanded current colorectal cancer screening coverage to include members 45 to 49 years of age.
All EmblemHealth Medicaid and Health and Recovery Plan (HARP) members between 45 to 75 years of age with an average risk for colorectal cancer should be offered screening with one of the recommended screening test options. Screening members with a high risk for colorectal cancer should be done sooner than screening of average risk individuals and should be based on clinical decision.
Colorectal Cancer Screening Methods for Patients Considered to be of Average Risk
| Method | Recommended Frequency |
|---|---|
| Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) or High Sensitivity Fecal Occult Blood Testing (FOBT) | once annually |
| FIT-DNA* (e.g. Cologuard) | once every three years |
| Computed Tomography Colonography (CTC) | once every five years |
| Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (SIG) | once every five years |
| Colonoscopy | once every ten years |
| SIG with FIT | once every ten years (SIG), plus once every year (FIT) |
*DNA - deoxyribonucleic acid, in this case based from stool and any blood shed therein.
For more information and resources related to colorectal cancer screening, visit the NYS Department of Health Colorectal Cancer webpage.
