Cost of Colonoscopy Procedure Q&A

The cost of a colonoscopy depends on many factors, such as where you are located and if you have or can use insurance to cover a part of the costs. The national average for a colonoscopy is between $1,200 – $4,800 with the average costs in the state of New York being between $1,100 to $3,700. This variance also comes from whether you are having an outpatient or inpatient treatment since inpatient treatments average about $4,350 in the United States, and outpatient treatments are on the lower end of the cost around $2,250.

Since colonoscopies are done with the use of sedatives and anesthetics, there is also the additional cost associated with the prescriptions for these medications which can add to the overall costs. With some facilities also having costs associated with the treatment in the office, you can ask before your procedure if these costs are included in your treatment amount or if they will be added at a later point.

Colonoscopy coverage is greatly dependent on what you are having your colonoscopy for as they will view preventative colonoscopies separately from diagnostic colonoscopies. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurance providers and Medicare are required to cover the costs of colonoscopies that are done for colorectal cancer screening and the patient shall not have to pay any deductibles for this procedure to be done. However, you should discuss this with your referring doctor as some insurances may have different rules regarding coverage than others, since with Medicare you have to be 50 years old or older for the coverage.

If you are having a colonoscopy done for diagnostic reasons you may only have to pay a percentage of the costs depending on your insurance provider, but please keep in mind your doctor is not going to falsify the reason for your colonoscopy so that you do not have to pay for it out of pocket.

This depends greatly on what type of colonoscopy you are having and the reason you are having it done. As previously mentioned those who are having it done for colorectal cancer screenings should not expect to pay anything under the Affordable Health Care act unless advised otherwise by your insurance provider. For those having their procedure done for diagnostic reasons, they are expected to only pay a portion of the cost which can range from 15% to 20% of the cost of your procedure, however, you should confirm before your appointment if this will also cover costs associated with the procedure like prescriptions.

Colonoscopies can vary in time, based on what they are being done for. The average amount of time a patient can expect to spend in the procedure is between 30-45 minutes, but this can be slightly longer if a biopsy is being done. Most patients will have little to no recollection of the procedure and may have felt some minor discomfort during the procedure but most will have no recall of it after the anesthetic has worn off. You will begin to feel normal within a few hours, but you may experience flatulence after and this is normal and will dissipate within 24 hours. If you had biopsies done during this time, it would take between one to two weeks to receive the results.

Many patients are concerned about their colonoscopies after they find out they will be slightly conscious during this procedure, but the medications given will make it so you have little to no recollection and the reason you are not fully sedated is the doctor performing the treatment may need you to move during this time to accommodate the view of the camera. Colonoscopies are safe treatments that are done routinely, and your experienced medical team will give you the utmost respect and care during the procedure.

Our team at Digestive Disease Care can provide you with the necessary guidance and support you need. Don’t suffer in silence; contact us today for effective and customized treatments. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you in Jamaica NY, Melville NY, New Hyde Park NY, Forest Hills NY, Jericho NY, Mineola NY, Lake Success NY, Babylon NY, East Setauket NY, Massapequa NY, and BEYOND.