Blue Review
A newsletter for physician, professional, facility, ancillary and Medicaid providers

November 2017

In-home Colorectal Cancer Screening and Hemoglobin A1c Test Kits for Selected Members

Applies to: Blue Advantage HMOSM, Blue Advantage PlusSM and Federal Employee Program® Members

Beginning in October, some Blue Advantage, Blue Advantage Plus and Federal Employee Program (FEP) members received the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FOBT/FIT) and/or Hemoglobin A1c in-home test kits. Members were identified for possible participation if they had no claim history of colorectal cancer screening and/or have a diagnosis of diabetes, and did not have a claim for hemoglobin A1c testing.

Members can expect to receive a communication from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) or FEP about the tests. They will have the option to opt out of the program and decline the test kits.

As part of a series, the following two tests will be sent at no additional cost to BCBSTX members:

  • FIT test for colorectal cancer screenings
  • A1c test for blood sugar control for diabetes

Home Access Health Corporation is an independent company that provides laboratory testing. They will process the kits and send results via mail to both the member and their primary care physician (PCP) on file. Our goal is to encourage members to close care gaps by making the process easier to complete the test(s) in the comfort of their own homes.

How Providers Can Help

  • Encourage your patients to complete these test kits and to return them in the prepaid postage envelope to the address listed.
  • Reiterate to your patients that they should include their PCP's name and mailing address with their sample so their PCP can receive the test results.
  • Please be on the lookout for these test results so that you can place them into members’ records, and be prepared to follow up on any alert values received.

If you have any questions or if you need additional information, please contact your BCBSTX Network Management Representative. Members can call Customer Service at the number listed on the back of their BCBSTX ID card.

Home Access Health Corporation, an independent company, provides laboratory services to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. Home Access Health is solely responsible for the products, services, and test results that they provide.