Is this a thing? I thought I could walk into my PCP's office and schedule a screening any time, provided I may need to pay more out of pocket or something.
I read here (on Hacker News) that the stool test is actually really valuable and cheap enough to pay out of pocket prior to trying to justify an out-of-schedule colonoscopy.
Ask him to do a hemoccult (done in the office - doc sticks his finger up your a** and dabs it on a test material) or request a cologuard test (shit in a box at home and mail it to the lab! - loads of laughs driving cautiously to FEDEX!)
The hemoccult (FIT or FOBT) tests are <$100 and the cologuard ~$700. Your insurance will likely cover (esp. the hemoccult test) all the more if you tell doctor of your family background. Hemoccult tests were part of my routine annual physical for decades and there are no familial tendencies.
There are some caveats: e.g., avoid bloody foods in the days preceding these test (Chinese pigs' blood cubes, yummm!)
You shouldn't have to do this, but have you tried calling the colonoscopy practice and asking for a cash price? It might not be as expensive as you think.
Screenings are not risk-free. There are always some false positives which then may lead to more invasive and unnecessary tests or treatment. There are a lot of rare conditions (based on age and/or history) that we don't screen for on a routine basis.
Is this a thing? I thought I could walk into my PCP's office and schedule a screening any time, provided I may need to pay more out of pocket or something.