They swing the “c” word around like a weapon. Using it as a THREAT to get you to sign up for every test under the sun from a colonoscopy to a mammogram.
That’s how they make their money, after all.
And nothing gets the patients lined up quite like the notion that they may have a tumor slowly taking form, somewhere inside the body.
But do you really need ALL of those tests, as often as they push them?
The answer might surprise you.
Many standard tests, from PSAs to mammograms, can be delayed. In some cases, they may even be avoided altogether.
And new research reveals one more you just might be able to skip. And I’m betting it’s one you’re probably already dreading.
Yes, friend, it turns out you might not need that colonoscopy after all.
Follow the money for the colonoscopy cash cow
We’re headed into the most expensive time of year.
That’s even truer if you have grandkids. Every single one of them will show up at your door with a catalog of junk you don’t need – from gift wrap to spice racks – hoping to score a sale.
And, let’s face it, they know you’re an easy mark.
These are your grandkids, after all. So you open your wallet, and now you’ve got one more ceramic gingerbread house candleholder to cram onto the mantle this winter.
They get a little prize for making sales… the school or scout troop score a little cash… and of course, the companies that make this junk reap HUGE profits.
So what does this have to do with those tests I mentioned earlier? Well, it’s pretty much how cancer screenings work, too.
A colonoscopy costs anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000. With insurance, you’ll typically pay only a fraction of that (or maybe nothing at all).
But no matter who’s paying, a lot of people are lined up with their hands out. That money gets spread out to the…
- doctor
- anesthesiologist
- lab
- pharmacy
And, of course, there’s the “facility fee” for the hospital where the colonoscopy is done.
In other words, there are a LOT of people literally banking on you getting that test. But instead of a ceramic gingerbread house or a roll of overpriced gift wrap, the only thing you get out of the deal is a sore bottom.
The cancer screening test you may NOT need
Now, the new study finds that many of the older people who are pressured into getting a colonoscopy may not need it.
Because once you’re past the age of 50, if your 15-year risk of colon cancer is below three percent, the new study finds you can give it a pass.
And if your risk is at or above three percent, you might STILL be able to skip the colonoscopy. As the study finds, a “poop test” could be just as good for some people.
This doesn’t mean no one needs a colonoscopy ever, of course. It happens to be an excellent test for pinpointing problems WHEN you need it. And sometimes, you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.
But like so many other tests and screenings were routinely being given these days, a colonoscopy shouldn’t be treated as an automatic test.
So talk to your doctor about your risks and your options. With a little luck, you just might be able to avoid handing your derriere over to a surgeon.
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