Along with Mammograms, Colonoscopies Save Lives

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to increase awareness of the second-leading cause of death among women in the United States. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, every two minutes, a woman receives a breast cancer diagnosis, and every 13 minutes, a woman loses her life to breast cancer. There are 3.3 million breast cancer survivors in the United States today, thanks to early detection through mammography.

Early Detection of Colon Cancer Means Early Intervention

Early detection is also important when it comes to colon cancer. A colonoscopy is the most effective colon cancer screening method because it can detect and remove precancerous polyps before they become cancerous.

Researchers estimate between 60 and 90 percent of colon cancer mortality could be prevented if adults were screened at proper intervals. Unfortunately, one out of three Americans is not getting tested, and colon cancer continues to be the third-leading cause of cancer death among men and women.   

Know Your Colonoscopy Age

Preventing colon cancer begins with knowing your individual risk for the disease, which affects your “colonoscopy age.” Your colonoscopy age is the age at which you should get your first colon cancer screening, based on your specific risk factors.

On average, your lifetime risk for developing colon cancer is about one in 20, but factors like age, ethnicity, family history, diet and lifestyle habits can increase your risk. In May 2018, the American Cancer Society revised its recommended age for first-time colon screenings from 50 years of age to 45, but some individuals may need to be screened even earlier.

Know Colon Cancer Symptoms and Get Screened Today

Colon cancer is highly treatable when it is detected in the early stages, so it is essential to know the warning signs of the disease. Common symptoms include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, nausea and weight loss. Contact your doctor if you have any of these symptoms, and pay attention to changes in your bowel habits. If you develop tarry stools, thin, pencil-like stools or have sensations of incomplete evacuation, call to make an appointment.

Every year, 50,000 Americans will die from colon cancer, a mostly preventable disease. You can stand up against colon cancer by staying informed about your risk and asking your doctor when you should get screened. Take action during Breast Cancer Awareness Month by scheduling a mammogram, colonoscopy and other preventative screenings to promote early detection and intervention. 

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How to Choose Eye-Safe Halloween Costumes and Masks

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Are you planning to buy a new Halloween costume for yourself or a child this year? Many Halloween costumes and masks can threaten your vision health. Before you make your selection, evaluate all elements of your costume based on these safety reminders:

Choose a Light-Colored Costume

Many Halloween costumes include dark colors, which can be a safety hazard at night. Light colors will help motorists see you and your children, so encourage kids to select a costume with lighter, brighter colors.

Widen Eye Holes in Masks

Most masks have small eye holes that limit the visual field and affect depth perception. If you or your child wants to wear a mask while trick-or-treating, you can widen the eyeholes with scissors to increase visibility. Be sure to try on the mask first to make sure there are no sharp edges around the eye openings.

Purchase Age-Appropriate Props

Read all warnings and labels on props and adhere to the recommended age guidelines. Inspect props carefully to ensure they are not broken, cracked or damaged. Avoid props that shoot or that have sharp edges, ridges or points.

Be Careful with Face Makeup

Applying makeup can be a safer alternative to wearing a mask, but makeup can cause eye issues as well. Read the ingredients in makeup before purchase and check the ingredients against the cosmetic section in the FDA’s Summary of Color Additives. Each color additive in your makeup should be on the FDA’s approved list of colors. When applying makeup, do not apply it near the eyes and wash it off as soon as you come home.

Avoid Decorative Contact Lenses

Decorative contact lenses can give you cat eyes or zombie eyes, but they can also give your eyes an infection or an abrasion. Non-prescription contacts can scratch your cornea or create a corneal ulcer, a dangerous bacterial infection. The colors and pigments in decorative contact lenses can make them less breathable and restrict oxygen to your cornea.

If you have specific questions about Halloween costumes and eye safety, call your ophthalmologist. If it has been over a year since you have had a comprehensive eye exam, schedule an appointment for yourself and your family. Staying current with eye exams will ensure that your family enjoys clear vision as we enter the holiday season.

Breast Cancer Awareness Begins with You

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Why is early detection so important? Because there is a much greater likelihood that with an early diagnosis, a patient will have:

  • Shorter treatment
  • Milder treatment
  • Fewer side effects
  • Less chance that cancer has spread to other parts of the body
  • Increased survival rate

Ways to Detect Breast Cancer

Breast cancer cannot be prevented, but you can take steps to help detect it as early as possible through these methods and screenings:

Mammogram: A mammogram is a type of x-ray that allows a healthcare specialist to see if there are any suspicious areas in the breast tissue. The American Cancer Society recommends the following schedule for mammogram screening:

  • Age 40-44: Should have the choice to begin having a mammogram every year, if of average risk
  • Age 45-54: Should get mammograms every year
  • 55 and older: Should get mammograms every two years or every year
  • Women at high risk: Should have mammograms as well as MRIs and should discuss this with their doctors

The American Cancer Society also advises breast cancer screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health and is expected to live 10 more years or longer.

Pap Test: During a pap smear, the doctor or gynecologist collects samples of cells from a woman’s cervix. These cells can show abnormalities that indicate an increased risk of developing cervical cancer as well as breast cancer. Both mammograms and Pap tests can detect breast cancer risk before a woman notices any symptoms.

Clinical Breast Examinations: During a woman’s annual health check-up, a doctor will perform a clinical breast examination. During this exam, the doctor will feel each breast to see if there are any changes in size, any lumps or any other abnormalities.

Self-Examination: According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 70 percent of breast cancer in women under 50 is detected by the women themselves; in women over 50, that percentage is almost half.  For this reason, it is important to perform a breast self-examination each month. For instructions on how and when to perform a breast self-exam, go to U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Self-Awareness: ACOG also recommends breast “self-awareness.” This means developing a sense of what is normal, so if a woman senses something in her breast is not right, she can see a doctor.

Be Aware of Risk Factors

Part of breast cancer awareness is being aware of your own risk. Review the risk categories below and talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns:

Age. The risk of developing breast cancer increases as a woman ages. Approximately 80 percent of the time, it is detected in women who are 50 and older.

  • Personal history. If a woman has had breast cancer in one breast, she is at an increased risk of developing cancer in the other.
  • Family history. If a woman’s mother, sister or daughter has had breast cancer, it puts her at higher risk.
  • Genetic factors. If a woman has a genetic mutation, she is at higher risk.
  • Menstruation and child-bearing. Risks are also higher for women who:
    • Had their first period before age 12
    • Went through menopause after age 55
    • Have not given birth to a child

Make a Difference

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Use this opportunity to help spread the word about mammograms, Pap tests, and self-exams. Encourage the people you care about to get screened and share this important message with others!

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Schedule Mammograms and Colonoscopies During October

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Mammograms Detect Early Breast Cancer

The pink ribbons of Breast Cancer Awareness remind us that screenings save lives. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, but regular mammograms can help detect breast cancer early when it is most treatable. According to the American Cancer Society, all women should begin having annual mammograms by age 45, but they have the choice to begin yearly screening at age 40. At age 55, they can choose to schedule mammograms every other year.

Colonoscopies Detect Colon Cancer Early

A colonoscopy is equally important as a life-saving screening. Colon cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death in the United States among men and women, but it is mostly preventable through regular screening.

Although there are many other screening methods for colon cancer, a colonoscopy is the most comprehensive because it examines the entire colon for precancerous polyps called adenomas. If adenomas are detected during a colonoscopy, they can be removed so they cannot develop into cancer.

The American Cancer Society recently updated their guidelines on when average-risk adults should begin colon screening. Previously, the ACS suggested that screening should begin at age 50, but they revised the recommended age to 45 due to increased incidence of young-onset colon cancer.

Make an Appointment for a Mammogram and Colonoscopy

Prevention is always less expensive than treatment, so schedule your screening mammogram and screening colonoscopy in October. Medicare and private insurance plans cover most preventative screenings and well visits but call your insurance provider for specific details about your plan. If you have a family history of breast cancer or colon cancer, you may need to schedule a screening before you turn 45, so ask your doctor to review your medical history. 

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Why Mammograms Aren’t the Only Cancer Screenings Women Need

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Of course, women should be aware of breast cancer and its symptoms. But women should also be aware of colon cancer too, because it’s on the rise—particularly among younger women.

If you think that colon cancer only affects older people, that’s understandable—it is a disease that significantly affects people over 50.

However, a recent study found that colorectal cancer rates are up 62 percent among white females under the age of 49 and 50 percent up in the under-55 age group. So, this year, when you wear your pink, put on a little blue too. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death, but with awareness and action, it is preventable.

Toilet Talk

Statistically, women visit their doctor more frequently than men, but that doesn’t mean talking about personal bowel habits is at the top of the topic list.

But women need to know about the risk and the symptoms, so they know when to go to the doctor and have that conversation.

Risk:

  • All women are at average risk of colon cancer at the age of 50.
  • Women with relatives who have been diagnosed with advanced polyps or colon cancer are at greater risk.
  • Women with Lynch syndrome, a cancer that is the result of an inherited genetic mutation, are at even greater risk of colorectal cancer before the age of 50.

Symptoms:

  • A change in bowel habits (increased constipation, diarrhea, or ‘ribbon-like’ narrow stools)
  • Feeling like you need to have a bowel movement, but being unable to do so when you try
  • Rectal bleeding
  • Dark stools or blood in your stool
  • Cramping or abdominal (tummy) pain
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Unintentional weight loss

The most common colorectal cancer symptom for older Americans? No symptom at all. That’s why screening is so important.

Aged 45 or older? It’s time to get screened.

Breast cancer awareness campaigns have been successful in increasing the number of women who get routine mammograms, but it’s just as important that they get colorectal cancer screenings scheduled and completed by the age of 50—especially because the American Cancer Society recently lowered the recommended age for a first-time colon cancer screening to 45 years old.

Under 45 and experiencing symptoms? It’s time to get screened.

If you have symptoms that concern you, don’t delay. Talk to your doctor and ensure they know colorectal cancer is no longer the disease of the elderly. Don’t ‘die of embarrassment. Get screened.

If you are experiencing symptoms or need to schedule your screening colonoscopy, contact the expert gastroenterology team at the Central Texas Endoscopy Center at (877) 758-3476 or fill out an appointment request form and a team member will contact you soon. At the Central Texas Endoscopy Center, every GI physician is fellowship-trained in gastroenterology, the medical staff is highly specialized in endoscopic procedures, and you will receive the highest quality of care in a comfortable, private setting for a fraction of what hospitals charge for the same outpatient procedure. Get scheduled to get screened today—save your life!

Schedule Mammogram, Eye Exam, Other Preventative Cancer Screenings in October

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It’s also a good reminder to schedule preventative screenings – not only for breast cancer but also for overall wellness – including eye health.

Annual Mammograms Save Lives

About one in eight women (12.4 percent) will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. Second only to lung cancer, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women.

Screening mammograms (x-rays of the breast) help detect breast cancer in the early stages when the disease is most treatable. Women may choose to begin annual breast screening as early as age 40, but the American Cancer Society recommends that all women begin yearly breast cancer screening at age 45. Since 1990, mammograms have helped reduce breast cancer deaths by 40 percent.

Annual Comprehensive Eye Exams Protect Vision

Just as mammograms can help detect early breast cancer when it is most treatable, comprehensive eye exams can detect eye disease early to prevent vision loss. Over three percent of Americans over the age of 40 are legally blind or visually impaired.

Glaucoma and macular degeneration are two degenerative eye diseases that can develop gradually over an extended period. Often, symptoms do not appear until later stages when vision damage is irreversible.

Comprehensive eye exams also screen for cataracts, one of the most common vision problems in the United States. Cataract-related vision loss is reversible through cataract surgery, a safe, outpatient procedure that takes less than 20 minutes per eye. 

Early detection and timely intervention and treatment can help prevent disease and preserve your vision. So this month, take the time to schedule all of your preventative screenings. Call your ophthalmologist and schedule a comprehensive eye exam to screen for eye disease.

Schedule Your GI Procedure Before Year-End for Savings

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Elective GI procedures could be much more affordable if you schedule them at the end of the year after you have met your deductible. Your annual healthcare deductible is the amount you must pay out-of-pocket each year for covered medical procedures before your insurance will begin paying. Most deductibles reset on January 1 each year, so this is the time to evaluate whether you should schedule that GI procedure or wait until next year.

You may think you do not have time to call your insurance company about your deductible, but a few minutes of research could save you thousands of dollars, particularly if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

Here are four scenarios you may be facing as you approach the end of the year:

You have already met your deductible, or you are close to meeting it.

You should consider scheduling that upper endoscopy or other diagnostic test as soon as possible. If you have already met your deductible, you will pay less now than if you wait until next year. If you are approaching your deductible, call your insurance company to ask for an estimate of costs so you can prioritize things like outpatient surgery, diagnostic testing, lab work and prescription refills.

 You will not meet your deductible.

If you are not close to meeting your deductible, you may choose to delay procedures and appointments so your expenses can count toward next year’s deductible.

However, there is no reason to delay preventative screenings like colonoscopies. Under the Affordable Care Act, screening colonoscopies (and related anesthesia and sedation) are covered at 100 percent for private insurance and Medicare.

You have a surplus in your Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

If you have an FSA through your employment, check your balance regularly and use all funds before the end of the year. FSA money does not roll into next year, and you will lose all unused funds. You may opt to schedule a GERD treatment like an esophageal dilation. Click here to get a comprehensive list of qualified medical expenses for which you can use your FSA dollars.

You have additional funds in your Health Savings Account (HSA).

HSA funds can be rolled over into next year, so you do not need to rush to use that money right away. You may want to accumulate money in your HSA for a more expensive elective digestive procedure in the future.

Call Your GI Doctor

Understanding your health plan is the first step in making it work for you. Call your insurance provider, and then contact your GI doctor to schedule your elective digestive procedure. Quality healthcare can be more affordable when you pay attention to your deductible. 

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Surgery Center of South Bay Recognized as 2018 CASA Award for ASC Excellence Recipient

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The surgery center was one of four ASCs recognized by the board for exemplifying “best practices in the surgery center industry.”

CASA evaluated the commitment and involvement of surgery centers across the state in five different pillars: membership, advocacy, quality metrics, education and community involvement. Surgery Center of South Bay is heavily engaged in advocacy and encourages physicians and staff to support the industry through legislative writing. South Bay also acts as a surgery center for the county of Los Angeles and serves as an ASC rep for the county’s Disaster Coalition Advisory Committee.

All four honorees were recognized during the annual CASA business meeting in September. Center Administrator Juliana Adelechanow accepted the award on the center’s behalf.

Schedule Your Eye Procedure Before Your Deductible Resets

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What is an Elective Eye Procedure?

An elective eye procedure is a planned procedure that is not a medical emergency yet may be medically necessary for you to maintain your vision or improve your eyesight. Certain elective eye procedures can be delayed until you have met your annual deductible.

Some examples of elective eye procedures may be:

How to Plan for an End-of-Year Eye Procedure

If you have met your annual deductible, your eye procedure may cost much less than if you wait until January when your deductible resets to zero. Proper planning will ensure that you can budget for the procedure and you avoid unexpected medical fees.

1. Call your insurance provider to confirm whether you have met your deductible and if you have  an out-of-pocket maximum you need to meet.

2. Explain the type of eye procedure you want to schedule.

3. Ask for a list of in-network physicians and facilities so you can maximize your savings.

4. Using factors like geographic location, physician reviews and cost, narrow down your list of physicians and facilities. Keep in mind that an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) is almost always more cost-effective than a hospital.

5. Once you have selected your physician and location, call your insurance provider again to get an estimate of what you should plan to pay for the physician fee, facility fee, medications and post-operative visits.

6. After you have your out-of-pocket estimate, decide how you will pay for your portion of the procedure. If you have private insurance and you have met your deductible, you may only be responsible for a co-pay or coinsurance, if applicable. Remember, you can use your flexible spending account (FSA) if you have remaining funds. FSA money is not taxed, which offers another savings opportunity.

7. Call your ophthalmologist to schedule your procedure. Do not delay because end-of-year appointments book up quickly and your doctor may only perform surgeries on certain days of the week.

Planning can offer significant savings and help you stretch your hard-earned healthcare dollars. Schedule your elective eye procedure before your deductible resets and experience the joy of clear vision. 

Think Ahead and Save Money on Your Health Care

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How to Make the Most of Your Health Care Now

Are you insured? If yes:

Find out if you have met your deductible (and ask about your coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximums too) by contacting your insurance provider.

If you have met your deductible or you’re close, you can save big by scheduling your vital health care appointments and preventive screenings now.

Deductible or coinsurance not met? Or, are you uninsured?

Don’t panic. You can still get high quality, low cost care at an independent ambulatory surgery center (ASC). ASCs, like Central Texas Endoscopy provide expert GI health care at a much lower cost than you might pay at a hospital or hospital-affiliated center.

Are you worried you can’t afford the health care you need?

There is no need to worry. Payment plans are available to ensure your get the health care you need, even when your budget is limited. The friendly staff at the center billing office can review your options.

Plan Ahead to Make the Most of your Health Care Every Year

To make sure you don’t waste precious dollars next year, you need to make the right decisions now.

When open enrollment begins at your workplace, it is time to do your research. Choosing the wrong plan could result in large and unexpected costs in the future.

Before you choose, ask yourself:

How much did I spend on health care last year?

When calculating your health care costs, be sure to include copays, coinsurance, prescriptions, and other out-of-pocket expenses, as well as your premiums. When you are comparing plans for the new year, check to see if your deductibles, coinsurance, and/or copays will increase.

How much am I likely to spend on health care next year?

Are there any health problems, procedures, prescriptions, or screenings that mean you will require extra care over the next year? Are you having a baby? Do you take regular prescription medications? Before choosing a new health care plan (or opting to remain in your existing one), make sure you know exactly what coverage it will provide for these health events, and whether a higher copay or coinsurance will be required.

Will I still be able to see my preferred health care providers?

If you have preferred health care providers, it is important to make certain those doctors and/or facilities are in-network for any plan you are considering. Using out-of-network providers could prove costly, so you need to weigh the value of paying a higher premium to see your preferred providers or choosing new doctors that fall under a new plan with lower premiums.

Will an FSA or HSA be available with my plan?

Flexible spending accounts (FSA) are available with most insurance plans and can provide useful tax savings.

Health savings accounts (HSAs), which provide even more savings and benefits, are available if you choose a high deductible health plan. If your employer doesn’t offer one, you can enroll at certain financial institutions.

Why ASCs are a Great Choice for Your Health Care

Independent ambulatory surgery centers like Central Texas Endoscopy offer:

  • High quality care that fits your budget
  • Fellowship-trained gastroenterologists who meet or exceed practice standards for quality
  • Industry-leading certifications for safety
  • Fees that are a fraction of those charged at a hospital or hospital-affiliated center
  • Cash payment options and payment plans to suit you
  • Accessible parking and convenient curbside drop-off and pick-up

Whether you are considering new health care options for the new year or need care right now to maximize your deductible, the team at Central Texas Endoscopy can answer all your questions and discuss affordable options for managing your GI health care. Contact the center today to learn more or schedule an appointment.