The gravity of the situation cannot be understated. Americans are facing tough financial times. Every morning we wake to news reports stating that unemployment rates are high and home ownership rates are declining, both of which are very alarming. Across the board we are cutting out what we consider to be extras, and only spending on money on the essentials.  Unfortunately, this means that many Americans are neglecting their health and recommended preventative screenings.

Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) polled Americans and issued a Health Security Update due to worries that average Americans are having problems paying their medical bills; the poll results also indicate that nearly half of the participants have taken some sort of action in the past year –such as skipping recommended tests or treatments- to limit their health spending. Non-compliance with prescriptions and doctor recommendations is costly so these findings should raise red flags all over the place.

Ben Franklin once said, ”an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This statement rings true when it comes to  colorectal cancer screening because the co-pay for a screening colonoscopy is only a small fraction of the price that a patient would pay for cancer treatment. Never mind the lost time at work and the suffering they would endure from a late-stage diagnosis. Colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths behind lung cancer, is largely preventable and can be beatable if caught early. If a patient thinks that they are making a fiscally sound decision when they avoid CRC screening, they are wrong.