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Periodic colonoscopy is recommended for colorectal cancer screening in all older patients (age, ≥50); in families that are affected by colorectal cancer or in people with high risk, screening should start earlier and should be performed at shorter intervals. Despite these guidelines, fewer than 50% of eligible patients actually undergo any type of screening. Such underutilization of screening could be related to the high cost of the colonoscopy procedure, and to the fact that screening was not generally covered by Medicare until 2002. Before 1998, Medicare did not cover any form of screening for colorectal cancer; from 1998 through 2001, sigmoidoscopy screening was covered, but colonoscopy was covered only for high-risk patients; after 2001…