Colorectal Cancer Screening Project | 2023-10

Pdf Summary

The role of payers, such as health insurance companies, is to support healthcare that keeps members healthy while controlling costs and meeting government requirements. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), private health insurance plans are required to cover preventive services, including colorectal cancer screening, at 100% without any cost sharing for the member, as long as the services are evidence-based and provided by an in-network provider. However, there are some grandfathered plans that are exempt from this requirement.<br /><br />The quality of health plans is assessed through various measures such as clinical performance and consumer experience. The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) provides accreditation to health plans based on their adherence to certain standards, including quality management, population health management, and member rights and responsibilities.<br /><br />The HEDIS measure is used to assess the screening rates for colorectal cancer. It evaluates whether adults aged 50-75 have received appropriate screening through tests such as fecal occult blood test, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, computed tomography colonography, or stool DNA test. The measure has been updated to align with recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which now includes screening for adults aged 45-75.<br /><br />Colorectal cancer screening rates vary among different payer plans, and improving these rates aligns with the goals of commercial payers, such as improving health outcomes, decreasing costs, and promoting health equity. However, commercial payers face challenges such as a lack of trust from members in influencing their clinical decision-making and limited access to screening results. There are also opportunities for payers to enhance health literacy, establish primary care provider relationships, and collaborate with pharmacies and healthcare systems to improve screening rates.<br /><br />In summary, payers play a crucial role in supporting preventive care, including colorectal cancer screening. By improving screening rates, payers can contribute to better health outcomes, cost savings, and improved experiences for both providers and patients.

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Josephine Young, MD, MPH, MBA

Keywords

payers

health insurance companies

preventive care

colorectal cancer screening

Affordable Care Act

HEDIS measure

screening rates

health outcomes

cost savings

health equity