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Question: I had mine five years ago. Just to be safe, I'd like to do another one. Do PPO insurance companies limit these procedures to like once every ten years? Or, can you get one whenever you want? Or, does an internist have to justify the need for more frequently than once every ten years? I do have colon cancer in my family (aunt and cousin). [No, I haven't called in the insurance company yet but I saw this thread and thought I'd ask anyway.]
Question: I had mine five years ago. Just to be safe, I'd like to do another one. Do PPO insurance companies limit these procedures to like once every ten years? Or, can you get one whenever you want? Or, does an internist have to justify the need for more frequently than once every ten years? I do have colon cancer in my family (aunt and cousin). [No, I haven't called in the insurance company yet but I saw this thread and thought I'd ask anyway.]
Not sure what others will say but I think only your insurance company can give you the correct answer.
I had to justify my colonoscopy before age 50 by claiming rectal bleeding; otherwise insurance wouldn't have covered it at all. As it is, they're only covering it as a "normal", elective procedure. This means they're paying 80% and I'm paying the other 20% (after my deductible, which has already been met this year). If I waited until I turned 50, it would have been covered at 100% as preventive. I wasn't willing to wait that long. $500 for my peace of mind? Well, okay.
Charles, I'd imagine it depends on the individual insurance company. Generally, they only want you to be tested more often if you have a single degree relative (parents, siblings or children) who have either had polyps removed or colon/rectal cancer. I had an aunt and a cousin (not mother and son) die from colon cancer, so cancer runs in my family as well. My grandmother died of lung cancer at age 87 after smoking for over sixty years, so I don't really include her in the family cancer statistics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles
Question: I had mine five years ago. Just to be safe, I'd like to do another one. Do PPO insurance companies limit these procedures to like once every ten years? Or, can you get one whenever you want? Or, does an internist have to justify the need for more frequently than once every ten years? I do have colon cancer in my family (aunt and cousin). [No, I haven't called in the insurance company yet but I saw this thread and thought I'd ask anyway.]
However, skip forward about 20 years and I had a terrible time with prep. twice I drank the poison and I was going so much I was afraid to get in the car for fear of making a mess. They don't like it when you cancel and I felt bad but I sure don't want to ruin myself or my car. Any suggestions on how to keep that from happening again?
I've had to do this twice and the second time I started the prep several hours before the instructions said to, that way everything was over well before I had to go in for my procedure. I told my Dr this and she had no problems with it, the only downside is you have go a little longer with no food.
Personally, I think that these routine colonoscopies are unnecessary. If you have no complaints why do them??
Looking for something - cancer screening? - Seek and ye shall find.
Suggestion is a powerful force.
Especially when you are at the mercy of someone you deem all wise.
If you have comlaints most of them should be obvious to any MD.
Another money maker for the medicos.
I will never submit to them.
There are some cancers that do not give you symptoms until they may have grown so much that it is life threatening. Many people that have colon cancer do not know it, no symptoms. Colon cancer affects more people 50 and older and so they begin recommending it when you are around that age.
I need to get my first colonoscopy here soon. I am not at all looking forward to it. I have a question. I had to do the bowel cleanse last Jan. when I had to have a total hysterectomy. It was horrible stuff they gave me. It was this large container that I added water to and had to drink it all in a certain amount of time. It seriously tasted just like you were drinking ocean water, so salty, no flavoring. I could hardly keep it down. The other problem I had was I was supposed to start taking it around 2 pm, which I did. It was like 5 hours before anything started, which is pretty late. I assume this next time I should maybe start it in the morning. I want to be cleaned out before my appointment.
I assume this next time I should maybe start it in the morning. I want to be cleaned out before my appointment.
There shouldn't be any problem with starting early, you will just go longer with no food.
I had my first one years ago and started the prep the evening before and was done around mid-night, so I was completely empty before I had leave to get the test.
I don't understand how some can have "issues" on their way there, if you began the prep when you should have you should be empty LONG before you need to leave.
Keep in mind, many(most?) places will NOT do the test unless you have a person there with you to drive you home, driving yourself, cab, or public transportation is not allowed.
As I said earlier in this thread along with others, the prep is by far the worst part, the test itself you will most likely not remember at all, and the "rested" feeling you have when you wake up is not too bad, pretty nice actually. I can understand how some can become addicted to those drugs.
I need to get my first colonoscopy here soon. I am not at all looking forward to it. I have a question. I had to do the bowel cleanse last Jan. when I had to have a total hysterectomy. It was horrible stuff they gave me. It was this large container that I added water to and had to drink it all in a certain amount of time. It seriously tasted just like you were drinking ocean water, so salty, no flavoring. I could hardly keep it down. The other problem I had was I was supposed to start taking it around 2 pm, which I did. It was like 5 hours before anything started, which is pretty late. I assume this next time I should maybe start it in the morning. I want to be cleaned out before my appointment.
brokencraola, I just had mine and added 2 packets of Crystal Light to my gallon jug and it was really very tasty.
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. I can understand how some can become addicted to those drugs.
