Blue KC encourages cancer screenings for early detection
When it comes to cancer screenings, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) is in lockstep with major national health organizations1, which advocate for early and regular screenings to detect and reduce the risk of death from cancer.
As part of your annual preventive visit with your doctor, Blue KC recommends discussing annual screenings for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer.
See all recommended preventive services
Breast cancer screening
Breast cancer is the most common cancer for American women, second only to skin cancers. Women have a 1 in 8 chance of developing it in their lifetime2. But when detected early, the five-year survival rate for localized breast cancer is 99%3. The best way to detect breast cancer early is through an annual mammogram.
Cervical cancer screening
The cervical cancer screening looks for cervical cell changes caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Blue KC recommends the pap test, which collects and tests cervical cells, every three years for women 21 to 29 years old and every three to five years for women 30 to 654.
Colorectal cancer screening
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women in the U.S.5 When detected early, colorectal cancer is usually smaller and might be easier to treat. Learn more about colorectal cancer and screening in this flyer from our community partner the American Cancer Society.
Click the above flyer to print for easy reference.
Discuss screenings during your annual preventive visit
Your cancer screenings should be on the agenda during your annual preventive visit with your primary care provider (PCP). If you don’t have a PCP, you can find one in network using the Find Care tool on your member portal. Visit MyBlueKC.com, select Find Care, then enter any of the following in the search bar: PCP, family medicine, internal medicine, general practice, pediatrician, or a specific provider name.
When you schedule your appointment, be sure to:
- Ask for preventive care screenings and tests that are 100%6 covered by your plan.
- Ask if talking about non-preventive-care health problems during your appointment will lead to extra costs.
If you’re enrolled in a plan with exclusive access to Spira Care Centers, schedule your $07 preventive visit at one of nine Spira Care Centers in the Kansas City metro area.
1U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, American Cancer Society, U.S. Centers for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
2American Cancer Society, Key Statistics for Breast Cancer
3 National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., Breast Cancer Facts & Stats
4National Institutes of Health, Cervical Cancer Screening Recommendations
6When you visit an in-network doctor or facility.
7 Services must be completed at a Spira Care Center, and you must have a Blue KC plan with Spira Care.
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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The HMO products are offered by Blue-Advantage Plus of Kansas City, Inc. and the PPO products are offered by Missouri Valley Life and Health Insurance Company, both independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, and wholly-owned subsidiaries of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.
