Anyone have a positive Cologuard test?

mistscout2013 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm sorry you have had a poor experience so far. There seems to be questions about what Medicare or insurance might cover for colon cancer screening.

From the medicare site, they offer this informstion:
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/colonoscopies
From assurance.com:
"Cologuard is covered for Medicare beneficiaries as a preventive screening under Medicare Parts A and B, so Medicare Advantage plans will also provide coverage under those terms.

However, as Medicare Advantage is offered by private insurance companies approved by Medicare, many plans include extended benefits. For example, some Medicare Advantage plans cover stool DNA tests more frequently than Original Medicare’s three-year requirement, as well as follow-up appointments and tests for those who need it.

Look into your Medicare Advantage plan’s details to see if your policy offers extended stool DNA test benefits, or speak with a trusted agent to find a plan that does."

Personally, the last time I had a colonoscopy, the preparation took a terrible toll on my body, as I am a kidney disease patient, and the medication used took me to my knees, literally and figuratively. It has now been 9 years since that experience, and I know I should get some kind of testing done!

I hope you will let us know you had a false positive in that Cologuard test.
Ginger

Hi @coolibrarian (I LOVE your username. I think librarians are cool), if I have the timeline right you have either had your colonoscopy or are doing the prep for it now. I had my first colonoscopy before I was 50 because of family history with colon cancer. For me it was an assurance to have it.

Just wanted to write to let you know that I’m thinking of you and am here if you have questions or just want to write.

Yes I just had one and like you unable to get an appointment till Feb. 2024. I wish someone could explain this.

Stay away from Cologuard! I used the test for the last 9 years every 3 years and a few months ago a full blown colon cancer that spread was discovered the test missed.
Have a second thought before taking the Cologuard route!

How did you find out then that you had cancer? You recent one was negative??? I had Cologuard tests also for over 19 yrs, but the kast one came back positive, and therefore confirmed by a followup colonoscopy, then surgery for invasive colon cancer.
I think insurance should pay for the Cologuard test more often than 3 years. I was hoping mine would be just a precancer polyps.

My cologuard came back positive. I assumed they would provide more information than just positive or negative . Wrong! I called the company and they said my doctor would receive a more detailed report. Wrong again! My doctor’s report was exactly the same as mine. They could provide no information, for example, on whether the positive result was detected from DNA or from occult blood. I contacted multiple doctors until finding one who could do a colonoscopy within a reasonable time. I had two polyps removed, one of which was benign and one pre-cancerous. I will not bother with cologuard again. I suggest talking to your primary care doctor about alternative possibilities for a colonoscopy if your insurance would cover this, asking others where they go, and making phone calls.

The last cologuard test came positive & I had to do a colonoscopy. Isn’t the idea of the test to catch the cancer before it spreads or at least while it’s in a precancerous stage?
Therefore, the test in my view is useless no matter how often you do it, as long as it’s missing it!

VERY SHORT VERSION :
I took a Cologuard test because I liked it wasn’t intrusive. I had previous gone through at least 2 other colonoscopies that were negative in my life before…

Cologuard test to me is nothing but false information,
Can’t even believe FDA approved it! They use statistics as part of the test I took that came back positive. Had to go for a colonoscopy and it was negative.

Cologuard your lucky I don’t sue you people for what you put me through …….

I used it for the last 6 years & in January 2023 ….a full blown cancer!!!!😫😫😫

I agree with you mostly….if one is without symptoms and absolutely cannot for cost or ins. reasons have a colonoscopy than perhaps cologuard is ok.
I had a colonoscopy 12 years ago and did cologuard 3 years ago (both fine). My GP said to just take another cologuard test in the interim until I went for another colonoscopy. It came back positive about a month ago. I was freaking out. I managed to see a gastro within two weeks but was told I’d have to wait 6 weeks for the colonoscopy! That’s a long time to worry! But I was lucky, they had a cancellation so I am now done with the test and I am fine. It was a false positive.
I would say if you are due, skip the cologuard and just schedule the colonoscopy. The use of cologuard is so suspect because of many false positives and negatives!