Connie Lair is about to have a colonoscopy.
"I plan on living a good many more years and I want to be healthy during those years," said Lair.
She's 78, and in some countries her age would prevent her from getting the cancer screening test but not here.
"What we achieve with screening is to prolong life and patients who are older, who are in good health they should be screened like any other patients," said Gastroenterologist, Dr. Radwan Al-Sabbagh.
Dr. Al-Sabbagh performed Mrs. Lair's colonoscopy.
"So far no problem," he said.
But just minutes before the short procedure was over he found two polyps. They had not yet turned into cancer.
"They are very small in size," said Dr. Al-Sabbagh.
Finding the two polyps made this a lifesaving procedure for Mrs. Lair. But some worry that others may not have access to this kind of cancer screening.
"I feel like I'm here today because I had that access to those scans," said Vicki Barrilleaux, a colon cancer survivor.
Barrilleaux survived colon cancer but her sister died of it.
"I'm concerned about the future for my children, and my sister's children," she said.
Barrilleaux is worried about a proposed Medicare cost cut which would reduce access to scans including colonoscopies, and CAT scans.
"What is concerning about this is that often times insurance will follow the lead of Medicare," said Barrilleaux.
Dr. Al-Sabbagh too is concerned.
"The surgery centers and endoscopy centers see about 50 percent of the patients who need to be screened," he said. "If they cut the reimbursement it will close the centers and make more pressure in the hospitals to accommodate these patients."
That could mean waits for the screening test, and delays in finding cancer.
"It doesn't make any sense," said Barrilleaux.
"I was a nurse and I believe in the medical profession taking care of us and if they're not allowed to, they can't do that," said Lair.
-----------------------------------
Christi Myers is ABC13's Healthcheck reporter.
QUICK HEADLINES | MORE HEALTH | GET NEWS ALERTS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABC13 SOCIAL NETWORKING
Find us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | More social networking
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MORE FROM ABC13
ABC13 widget | Most popular stories |
Street-level weather
ABC13 wireless |
Slideshow archive |
Help solve crimes
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
