A common colonoscopy polyp removal at surgery center facility in California includes
| |
Units |
Avg Cash price |
Provider |
Gastroenterologist visit provider fee
First time visit
Standard
|
1 |
$151 |
Provider fee to scope and remove growth from colon
Complex
Standard
|
1 |
$365 |
Facility |
Surgery center fee to scope and remove growth from colon
Standard
Standard
|
1 |
$737 |
Anesthesia |
Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure
Level 2
Standard
|
1 |
$156 |
Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure
Per minute
Standard
|
66 |
$153 |
Total average cash price |
|
A common colonoscopy polyp removal at outpatient hospital facility in California includes
| |
Units |
Avg Cash price |
Provider |
Gastroenterologist visit provider fee
First time visit
Standard
|
1 |
$151 |
Provider fee to scope and remove growth from colon
Complex
Standard
|
1 |
$365 |
Facility |
Outpatient Hospital fee to remove tumor/polyp/growth from colon (large intestine), using endoscope
level 2
Standard
|
1 |
$1,457 |
Anesthesia |
Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure
Level 2
Standard
|
1 |
$156 |
Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure
Per minute
Standard
|
66 |
$153 |
Total average cash price |
|
During a colonoscopy, your doctor inserts a small, flexible tube into your digestive tract through the rectum. A small camera on the end of the tube allows the doctor to see the inside of your colon. The entire procedure takes about 30-60 minutes. If your doctor notices any polyps, the procedure may take longer so they can remove the polyps.
A colonoscopy can be done for several reasons. Starting at age 50, everyone should get a colonoscopy every 10 years. This is a screening procedure used to identify or even prevent colon cancer and typically covered by medical insurance.
Your doctor might recommend a colonoscopy if you are having gastrointestinal concerns such as bleeding, chronic diarrhea, or chronic constipation. This can help your doctor identify the cause of your problems and offer treatment solutions.
If your doctor finds any polyps during a colonoscopy, this is considered an abnormal or positive result. Polyps are an abnormal growth on the wall of your colon. Over time, these polyps can grow and transform into colon cancer.
Finding 1-2 small polyps during a colonoscopy puts you at low risk of developing colon cancer. If larger polyps or more than 5 polyps are found, you are considered at high risk for developing colon cancer.
Yes, polyps should be removed during a colonoscopy. It is difficult to determine which polyps will grow into a cancerous lesion and which polyps will remain benign. Therefore, it’s recommended that your doctor remove all polyps found during a colonoscopy. After removal, polyp tissue can be biopsied to determine if cancer is present.
A large polyp is any polyp that is greater than 1 cm or 0.4” in size. Polyps up to 2 cm or 0.8” can be removed during a screening colonoscopy. If a polyp larger than 2 cm is found, an additional procedure to remove it needs to be scheduled. This may be surgery to remove a segment of the colon where the polyp is located or it may be an endoscopic procedure that removes the polyp from the colon wall, leaving the intestinal tract intact.
It is very unlikely that a polyp will grow back after being completely removed during a colonoscopy. However, having a polyp in your colon puts you at risk of developing more polyps in the future. On average, 25-30% of patients who have had at least one polyp removed will find additional polyps during future colonoscopies.
While most polyps do not transform into colon cancer, the presence of polyps in your colon puts you at an increased risk of colon cancer compared to someone without polyps.
If any polyps are not removed, you will need an additional procedure to remove them. This can happen if the polyps are too large. Large polyps increase your risk of bleeding and other complications so your doctor needs additional time to prepare for the procedure.
A precancerous polyp has about a 5% chance of turning into colon cancer over your lifespan. It’s a process that takes 7-10 years on average, and sometimes much longer. Unlike personalizing your health insurance, predicting your personal risk of developing cancer is impossible. When precancerous polyps are removed, it significantly reduces your risk of dying from colon cancer.
After your colonoscopy, you’ll have a brief recovery period to wake up from the sedation. Polyps that were removed might be sent to the lab for testing and analysis to determine if cancer is present. Based on the results, your doctor will recommend when your next colonoscopy should be. This can be anywhere from 3-10 years depending on your age and overall risk for colon cancer.
About the colonoscopy polyp removal Average Cash Prices
This procedure is most commonly performed at either a surgery center or an outpatient hospital.
Surgery centers, also known as ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), are independent, licensed medical
facilities that are governed by distinct regulatory requirements compared with a hospital. Procedures
performed at an ASCs are often less expensive than when they are performed at an outpatient hospital,
but they typically offer fewer complimentary services, and may not have the full-range of support
services that a hospital provides.
Outpatient facilities are outpatient departments or clinics that may be within or next to a hospital,
but is owned and run by the affiliated hospital. These facilities can perform surgical treatments and
procedures that do not require an overnight stay. Procedures performed at an outpatient hospital are
often more expensive than when they are performed in an ambulatory surgery center, but outpatient
hospitals may offer more complimentary and support services for patients because they are connected to
the hospital system.
