Patient Resources

Colorectal Cancer Screening: How Can You Be Screened

If you would like to be screened for colorectal cancer, talk with your primary care provider to find out what screening recommendations are right for you.

Physician referrals are required for colorectal screening tests. Your physician's office can help coordinate the referral.

Insurance Coverage for Colorectal Cancer Screening

Most insurance plans help pay for colorectal cancer screening tests for people aged 50 or older. Many plans also help pay for screening tests for people younger than 50 who are at increased risk for colorectal cancer.

Check with your health insurance provider to find out about your colorectal cancer screening benefits. For questions about coverage for virtual colonoscopy contact the Virtual Colonoscopy Office.

Local Health Insurance Providers in the Dane County, Wisconsin area:

• Unity Health Insurance
• Physicians Plus Health Insurance
• Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin
• Dean Health Plan  

Financial Assistant for Uninsured Patients

A less costly alternative to screening is an Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test (iFOBT).

iFOBT is an at-home test which checks for blood in the stool. While iFOBT only detects cancer and cannot check for pre-cancerous polyps, it is a less costly alternative to colonoscopy. If you are interested, please contact your health care provider to order a test. You can contact the hospital price line at (608) 263-1507 to get an estimated cost of the iFOBT test.

Uninsured patients are encouraged to apply for BadgerCare coverage through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. More information, including the application, can be found at the Access Health page. 

Patients who don't qualify for BadgerCare can contact UW Community Care directly by calling (608) 265-0145.