With Medicare, you must be 50 or older to be eligible for coverage of most colon cancer screenings. The exception to this is a colonoscopy, for which there is no minimum age requirement.
Medicare covers the following screenings:
- Fecal occult blood test - once a year (every 12 months) for persons age 50 or older
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy - once every four years (48 months) for persons at high risk and less frequently for other persons
- Colonoscopy - once every two years (24 months) if you are at high risk for colorectal cancer (e.g. have a family history of the disease or have had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer, or have had inflammatory bowel disease). If you are not at high-risk, Medicare covers colonoscopies every 10 years (but not within 48 months of a screening flexible sigmoidoscopy).
