To compare overall colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates for patients who were eligible and due for CRC screening and who were with and without insurance coverage for computed tomographic (CT) colonography for CRC screening.

The institutional review board approved this retrospective cohort study, with a waiver of consent. This study used longitudinal electronic health record data from 2005 through 2010 for patients managed by one of the largest multispecialty physician groups in the United States. It included 33 177 patients under age 65 who were eligible and due for CRC screening and managed by the participating health system. Stratified Cox regression models provided propensity-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the relationship between CT colonography coverage and CRC screening.

After adjustment, patients who had insurance coverage for CT colonography and were due for CRC screening had a 48% greater likelihood of being screened for CRC by any method compared with those without coverage who were due for CRC screening (HR, 1.48; 95% CI: 1.41, 1.55). Similarly, patients with CT colonography coverage had a greater likelihood of being screened with CT colonography (HR, 8.35; 95% CI: 7.11, 9.82) and with colonoscopy (HR, 1.38; 95% CI: 1.31, 1.45) but not with fecal occult blood test (HR, 1.00; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.10) than those without such insurance coverage.

Insurance coverage of CT colonography for CRC screening was associated with a greater likelihood of a patient being screened and a greater likelihood of being screened with a test that helps both to detect cancer and prevent cancer from developing (CT colonography or colonoscopy).

^© RSNA, 2017