Stomach pain and issues with the digestive tract can affect your daily life. We diagnose and treat digestive issues at Guthrie Gastroenterology. Our gastroenterologists are board-certified with advanced medical training in the treatment of a broad spectrum of gastrointestinal disorders.
A gastroenterologist examines the normal function and treats diseases of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum. Our team also treats patients with diseases involving the pancreas, gall bladder, biliary tract and liver.
Cancer Screening and Prevention
Our gastroenterology team is focused on prevention and helping you understand which screenings are right for you. These screenings are critical, as early diagnosis of cancers associated with the liver and gastrointestinal areas allows for a broader range of treatment options.
Insurance Information for Colonoscopies
Under the Affordable Care Act, several preventive services such as colonoscopies are covered at no cost to the patient. Guidelines are now available about which colonoscopies are defined as a preventive service (screening).
Guthrie has created this document to sort through some of the confusion. Here is what you need to know about colonoscopies that are considered preventative:
Colonoscopy Categories:
- Preventive Colonoscopy Screening
Patient is asymptomatic (no gastrointestinal symptoms either past or present); is 50 years of age or over; has no personal or family history of gastrointestinal disease, colon polyps and/or cancer. The patient has not undergone a colonoscopy within the last 10 years.
- Diagnostic/therapeutic colonoscopy
Patient has gastrointestinal symptoms such as change in bowel habits, diarrhea, constipation, rectal bleeding or gastrointestinal disease.
- Surveillance/ High Risk Screening Colonoscopy
Patient is asymptomatic (no gastrointestinal symptoms either past or present); has a personal history of gastrointestinal disease, colon polyps and/or cancer. Patients in this category may undergo colonoscopy surveillance at shortened intervals (e.g. every 2-5 years).
If a screening colonoscopy results in the biopsy or removal of a lesion or growth during the procedure, the procedure is then considered diagnostic and you may have to pay a coinsurance or copayment.
We recommend that our patients contact their insurance carrier to verify colonoscopy coverage. Your insurance plan may not consider surveillance colonoscopies as a screening benefit. The correct coding of a procedure is driven by your medical history and the physician’s documentation. It is not appropriate to change coding to enhance insurance benefit coverage.
Team Approach to Care
Our gastroenterologists work collaboratively with specialists in general surgery, otolaryngology, colorectal surgery and oncology to provide our patients with comprehensive care. You can count on our team of highly trained specialists to use the latest advancements in screening and treatment, for your best possible outcome.
Clinical Trials
Our gastroenterologists are highly regarded by their national peers for their training and research. At Guthrie you can participate in advanced clinical trials for innovative treatments.