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Associates in Primary Care now performs Nerve
Conduction Testing!
NCS
are indicated in the following clinical scenarios:
- Focal
neuropathies or compressive lesions such as carpal tunnel syndrome,
ulnar neuropathies or root lesions, for localization
- Traumatic
nerve lesions, for diagnosis and prognosis
- Diagnosis
or confirmation of suspected generalized neuropathies, such as diabetic,
uremic, metabolic or immune
- Repetitive
nerve stimulation in diagnosis of neuromuscular junction disorders such
as myasthenia gravis, myasthenic syndrome.
- Symptom-based
presentations such as “pain in limb”, weakness, disturbance in skin
sensation or “paraesthesia” when appropriate pre-test evaluations are
inconclusive.
March
is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Colorectal
cancer affects both men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, and is most
often found in people aged 50 years or older. And the risk for developing
colorectal cancer increases with age.
Medicare
Covered Colorectal Cancer Screenings
Medicare provides coverage of colorectal cancer screenings for the early
detection of colorectal cancer. All Medicare beneficiaries age 50 and older
are covered; however, when an individual is at high risk, there is no minimum
age required to receive a screening colonoscopy or a barium enema rendered in
place of the screening colonoscopy. An individual is considered to be at high
risk for colorectal cancer if he or she has had colorectal cancer before or
has a history of polyps, has a family member who has had colorectal cancer or
a history of polyps, or has a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease,
including Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.
Medicare
provides coverage for the following colorectal cancer screenings subject to
certain coverage, frequency, and payment limitations:
- Fecal Occult
Blood Test (FOBT)
- Colonoscopy
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Barium Enema
(as an alternative to a covered screening flexible sigmoidoscopy or
screening colonoscopy)
Prevention
Is Key
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States;
however it doesn't have to be. Colorectal cancer is largely preventable
through screening which can find precancerous polyps-abnormal growths in the
colon or rectum-so that they can be removed before turning into cancer.
Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment
can often lead to a cure. CMS needs your help to ensure that eligible
Medicare patients get screened for colorectal cancer. Talk with your Medicare
patients and their caregivers about the importance of being screened and
those patients who were screened before entering Medicare should be
encouraged to continue with screening at clinically appropriate intervals.
(Information
provided by National Government Services / Center for Medicare and Medicaid
Services)
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