Recently, Steve Martin and his long-time buddy, Martin Short, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and shared details about the colonoscopy parties they host every other year.

Leave it up to a comedic duo to turn the dreaded bowel prep into an overnight event steeped in hilarity, including poker games, funny movies and “drinking all the stuff.” Martin, 72, and Short, 68, invite other celebrity friends like Tom Hanks to join the fun, and the ritual has become an important component of their friendship.

Colonoscopies and Colon Cancer Prevention

A colonoscopy party may not be your first choice when it comes to socializing, but consider this fact: colon cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. About one in every five Americans will develop colon cancer, but most cases are preventable through regular colonoscopies.

Young-onset colon cancer is more common than ever before, and studies show young people are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage colon cancer. For this reason, the American Cancer Society changed its recommendation for a first-time colon cancer screening from age 50 to age 45.

Although there are several types of colon cancer screenings, colonoscopy is the gold standard. Colonoscopy is the most thorough screening because:

• It allows your doctor to inspect the entire colon, from cecum to rectum, for precancerous polyps.
• Your doctor can remove a polyp during the colonoscopy, preventing it from developing into cancer.
• It is the only procedure that can detect and prevent colon cancer.
• It can reveal other GI issues like diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease and can allow for immediate treatment.

Turn Your Colonoscopy Prep Into a Party

Preventing colon cancer is a reason to celebrate, so turn your colonoscopy prep into a party! Here are some suggestions on how to infuse your bowel prep with some fun and laughter:

1. Contact your family and friends and let them know you are getting a colonoscopy.
2. Ask your loved ones if they are due for a colonoscopy, and suggest they schedule their procedure on the same day.
3. Tell your group you’d appreciate some support on your bowel prep day, and ask them to reserve that evening on their calendar.
4. Plan your party! You can plan a movie night, spa night, poker night, board game night, murder mystery party or video game tournament. The gathering can include almost any activity, but make sure there is a nearby restroom. Keep in mind you may feel most comfortable hosting the party in your own home.
5. Print statistics about colon cancer and the preventive benefits of colonoscopy and display them for your guests to read.
6. Amp up the fun by making themed colonoscopy prep foods and creating party games. Offer prizes for the best colon prep story or best colonoscopy joke. Commemorate your evening by taking lots of photos.

Schedule Your Screening Today

There’s no substitute for a colonoscopy. Call your gastroenterologist today to schedule a screening. It could save your life. 

How Much is a Screening Colonoscopy?

Under the Affordable Care Act, most screening colonoscopies (including anesthesia) are covered by insurance and, if you qualify, you can even avoid the hassle of a pre-procedure consultation with a GI doctor under a “direct access” or “open access colonoscopy” – saving you time and money.

If you are at average risk for colon cancer, your screening colonoscopy is considered a preventative service and is not subject to cost-sharing. Between the ages of 50 and 75, you are entitled to one screening colonoscopy every ten years, following the recommendations of the United States Preventative Services Task Force.

With an “open access” or “direct access colonoscopy,” healthy, qualified patients can schedule a screening colonoscopy without an initial office visit and co-pay to a gastroenterologist. However, open or direct access colonoscopies are available in participating markets only to patients who qualify. Qualification is based on medical history and current medical status. Ask your doctor for more details.

What if My Doctor Removes a Polyp During the Procedure?

If you have private healthcare insurance and your doctor removes a polyp during a first-time screening colonoscopy, you won’t be responsible for a copay or deductible. According to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), “polyp removal is an integral part of a colonoscopy. Accordingly, the plan or issuer may not impose cost-sharing with respect to a polyp removal during a colonoscopy performed as a screening procedure.”

If you are a Medicare beneficiary, however, the screening colonoscopy guidelines differ. If your doctor finds a polyp, the screening colonoscopy is coded as a diagnostic colonoscopy and you will be responsible for a copayment.

Are There Other Costs Associated With a Colonoscopy?

Even though insurance typically covers screening colonoscopies, you may be responsible for paying for your bowel prep kit and other services. To get accurate pricing and avoid unexpected costs, obtain the current procedural terminology (CPT) code for your colonoscopy from your doctor. Call your insurance provider and ask:

1. What out-of-pocket costs, if any, should I expect to pay for CPT code ____?
2. What in-network gastroenterologists are near me?
3. Can you verify whether the anesthesiologist for my colonoscopy is in your network?
4. What in-network facilities are near me?
5. Can I save money by scheduling my procedure at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) versus a hospital outpatient department (HOPD)?
6. If my doctor finds a polyp during my screening colonoscopy, will I have any financial responsibility?

Medicare patients can access the Procedure Price Lookup Tool to compare payments and copayments for colonoscopies and other medical procedures performed in ASCs and HOPDs.

How Much is a Colonoscopy Without Insurance Coverage?

Colon cancer screenings are an essential part of your preventative healthcare. If you don’t have health insurance, you still have affordable options to help you get access to this life-saving procedure:

• Consult the Healthcare Bluebook to compare colonoscopy costs in your area
• Visit ColonoscopyAssist, which offers low-cost colonoscopies in many U.S. cities
• Visit Colorectal Cancer Alliance Financial Assistance to learn about getting help with bills
• Choose a more inexpensive ambulatory surgery center instead of a hospital
• Ask your gastroenterologist about a payment plan

These suggestions also apply to patients who want to be screened earlier than their insurance provider’s recommended age. The American Cancer Society recommends all adults who are at average risk for colon cancer begin screening at age 45, but Medicare and most commercial insurers will not cover colon screenings until age 50.

Call a Gastroenterologist

A colonoscopy is an essential component of digestive wellness and can help prevent colon cancer when scheduled at recommended intervals. By asking the right questions, you can get an affordable colonoscopy with or without insurance. Call your gastroenterologist and ask to schedule your colonoscopy at an outpatient endoscopy center for a high-quality procedure at a lower cost. 

A colonoscopy can prevent colon cancer, but only if your doctor can view the entire colon during the procedure. Your responsibility is to clear all debris from the colon so your gastroenterologist can detect and remove precancerous polyps and prevent colon cancer.

Inadequate bowel preparation is responsible for one out of three incomplete colonoscopies, so commit to your colon prep with determination and precision.

For Easy Colonoscopy Prep, Ask for “Low Volume Colonoscopy Prep”

It’s normal to dread or even fear the colonoscopy prep. The first step to calming your fears and having an easy colonoscopy prep is to talk with your doctor. You will not be the first patient to express concerns about colonoscopy preparation. Know that you can request a low volume prep and even ask about “split-dose prepping.” Most modern prep formulations are designed to enhance patient comfort, but talking with your doctor will confirm you get the prep best suited to your preferences and medical needs.

Ask your gastroenterologist about:

• SUPREP
• Moviprep
• Plenvu
• Halflytely

How to Easily Prep for a Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy prep doesn’t have to be painful or complex. Make your colonoscopy prep simple and more comfortable. Use this guide on what to eat and what to avoid before a colonoscopy.

A week before the exam

Begin eating a “low-residue diet.” A low-residue diet is low in fiber and will reduce the volume and frequency of bowel movements.

What to eat:

• Pasta
• White bread
• White rice
• Eggs
• Lean chicken
• Cooked or canned fruits and vegetables without seeds

What to avoid:

• Whole grain bread
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Raw fruits and vegetables
• Leafy greens
• Legumes
• Fatty meats

A few days before the colonoscopy

Consume clear liquids like beef broth, chicken broth, clear fruit juices, Gatorade, sports drinks, sodas, Jell-O and Italian ice. You can even buy Gummy Bears because they dissolve into clear liquids. Avoid any product that is red, blue or purple because the dye can interfere with your colonoscopy results.

Thoroughly read the instructions in your prep kit. If you have questions, call your doctor’s office.

How to Survive Prep Day

On your prep day (the day before your colonoscopy), you’ll begin drinking the clear liquids you have purchased. Dissolve your “prescription cocktail” of laxatives and salts in your desired liquid, and chill it in the refrigerator. The instructions in the prep kit will tell you when to begin drinking the solution.

Many prep solutions can be divided into two equal doses, known as the “split-dose regimen.” This new method advises you to drink half of the prep solution the evening before the colonoscopy and the remainder of the liquid on the morning of the procedure.

Easy Colonoscopy Prep Drink Tips

To make your colonoscopy prep solution more palatable, here are five tips and tricks:

1. Use Gatorade or Crystal Lite in your prep solution (avoid red, blue or purple colors/flavors)
2. Chill the solution for several hours and drink it cold
3. Use a straw
4. Chase the prep with cold water
5. Treat yourself with a piece of hard candy after consumption (no red, blue or purple colors/flavors)

Remember, your goal is colon cancer prevention. Failing to cleanse your colon properly will delay testing and force you to dedicate more time to the screening process. If you do not adequately cleanse your bowel, you will have to reschedule and go through the process again.

Schedule Your Colonoscopy Today

The American Cancer Society recommends adults at average risk for colon cancer begin screening at age 45, but certain risk factors may require earlier screening. Most cases of colon cancer are preventable with routine colonoscopies, but one-third of American adults aren’t up-to-date on their screenings. Are you one of them? Call your gastroenterologist to see if you are due for a colonoscopy. And don’t let the prep scare you — modern prep formulas are easier to swallow than ever before.

This is part of a Congress-mandated initiative called the 21^st Century Cures Act.

“Can you imagine going to the grocery store, getting the groceries you need for the week, but never knowing the price of your items until a week later when the store sends you a bill? Sadly, that’s how healthcare works every day” – Seema Verma, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator (CMS Blog).

Medicare Pricing Tool

The Procedure Price Lookup Tool allows a qualified Medicare beneficiary to compare average payments and copayments for medical procedures performed in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). The website also provides the national average copayment a beneficiary with no Medicare supplemental insurance policy (Medigap) would pay the provider.

Colonoscopy, upper endoscopy and esophageal dilation are three of the most common GI outpatient procedures. Here are the average costs Medicare patients would pay for these procedures at a hospital outpatient department (HOPD) compared to an ambulatory surgery center (ASC). 

So, do you know the facts about colonoscopies – or just the myths? Read on as we dispel the falsehoods and arm you with the facts about colonoscopies.

Myth: Colonoscopies take too long.

Fact: A colonoscopy procedure takes only 30 minutes.

Colonoscopies do not “take all day,” but it’s certainly understandable why people circulate this myth. The procedure itself takes only 15-30 minutes, but the colonoscopy prep and pre-op/post-op time commitment makes the procedure seem much longer. However, when you consider the years (or even decades) a colonoscopy can add to your life, the time spent on this life-saving procedure comes into perspective.

It may be tempting to opt for alternative colon cancer screening tests. However, a colonoscopy offers significantly more health benefits for similar cost, making it the recommended screening for colon cancer detection and prevention. Moreover, it’s the only colon cancer screening method that actually prevents cancer by allowing your doctor to remove precancerous colon polyps during the procedure. All colon cancer begins as a polyp, so no polyps mean no cancer! No test besides a colonoscopy can prevent you from getting colon cancer.

The Facts About Having a Colonoscopy

Everyone loves a good story with exaggerated details for humor and emphasis, but colonoscopy tales tend to lose credibility as they circulate. The best way to bust myths is to know the facts. Here are the facts regarding the steps of a colonoscopy and why each step is important:

Before the Colonoscopy

Staying colon cancer-free requires some work on your part, and that is the bowel preparation, also referred to as colonoscopy prep. Proper bowel prep is essential for an effective colonoscopy. For a full colon cleanse, you will need to follow the detailed instructions included in your bowel prep kit. You’ll need to adhere to a clear liquid diet in the hours prior to your colonoscopy. You can have some approved treats with specific restrictions. And there are ways you can make colonoscopy prep easier.

During the Colonoscopy

You should plan on spending two to three hours at your outpatient GI center on the day of your colonoscopy. You will need to arrive early for your appointment so you can check in and fill out paperwork. Once the nurse calls you back, the procedure will move along quickly. Most colonoscopies are performed with anesthesia or sedatives that put you to sleep, so you won’t even remember the procedure.

While under anesthesia, your GI doctor will examine the length of your colon for any signs of colon cancer or other diseases of the digestive system. At that time, the doctor will remove suspicious polyps to reduce your risk of cancer.

After the Colonoscopy

You will feel a little groggy upon awakening, but once you’re alert, you will get dressed and meet with your doctor to briefly go over your results. If no polyps are found and you have no family history of the disease, you won’t have to come back for another ten years.

A family member or friend must drive you home. The good news is that you can spend the rest of the day resting and eating a normal diet. The sedative will continue to wear off throughout the day, and you will be able to return to work the following day. 

24 hours for 10 years

Is 24 hours of your time worth 10 years of good health? When you look at it that way, is it really even a question? Don’t let myths drive your healthcare decisions. If you have questions about how a colonoscopy is done or when to get a colonoscopy, ask your gastroenterologist.

Winter and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Do you notice your mood takes a nose dive as the days grow shorter? For millions of Americans, gray skies and lower temperatures contribute to a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Also known as seasonal depression, SAD is considered a subset of clinical depression and is marked by depression that follows a cyclical pattern with the seasons. People affected by SAD often experience low energy, sleeplessness and difficulty concentrating.

Cold Weather and Acid Reflux

Cold days also tend to turn up the heat of heartburn from acid reflux. There are several reasons you might have more reflux in the wintertime. Most people are less active in colder seasons and spend more time in bed or on the couch, making acid reflux more likely. Chilly weather also goes hand-in-hand with calorie-rich comfort foods, spicy foods, chocolate and caffeine. These heartburn triggers weaken the valve between the stomach and esophagus leading to reflux.

Exercise Can Help with Seasonal Depression and Heartburn

Boosting your activity level can help reduce symptoms of seasonal depression as well as heartburn. Exercising raises serotonin, the “happy hormone” that gives you an overall sense of wellbeing. It also increases circulation, improves digestion and helps manage weight. Excess fat around the abdomen puts pressure on the stomach and allows gastric acid to flow into the esophagus. Studies show losing even five pounds can significantly reduce heartburn. 

Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day, and go outside if at all possible. Vitamin D from sunlight can boost your mood and improve your spirits, so get out for even a short walk. You can alternate activities like swimming, biking, yard work, yoga or hiking. Along with exercising, eat a well-balanced diet and get plenty of sleep.

Follow up with your Physician and GI Doctor

Seasonal affective disorder and all forms of depression need consistent monitoring by a physician, so don’t try to treat your symptoms alone. It’s also important to call your gastroenterologist if you experience frequent heartburn because you could have a serious condition called GERD, a progressive disease that can cause long-term health complications. Call a GI doctor today to make an appointment for evaluation and counsel.