HealthEngine® launches Get Paid to Save™ initiative to improve colon cancer screening rates in Chicago
Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) March 01, 2016 -- As National Colon Cancer Awareness Month gets underway today, so does an innovative campaign that pays eligible individuals up to $500 for getting a colonoscopy. While colon cancer is highly preventable and curable when found early, it is still the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women in America. HealthEngine, a healthcare technology firm based in Chicago, is launching the Get Paid To Save™ initiative in order to raise awareness and hopefully motivate more people to undergo the potentially life-saving test. Under the Affordable Care Act the screening is now free for anyone over 50 years old who has not had a colonoscopy within the past 10 years, as well as those over 40 years old with a family history of colon cancer. In spite of such efforts aimed at encouraging people to get screened, it is estimated that up to 40% of those recommended to have the diagnostic exam actually do so. In fact a study by the CDC recently revealed that the number one reason these people don’t get a colonoscopy is fear that it will hurt, when in fact the procedure is typically painless. “My colonoscopy saved my life,” says colon cancer survivor Gale Fritsche. “I was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer during my first colonoscopy at age 50. I was a marathoner and avid cyclist. I had no symptoms. Had I not followed my doctor’s advice to be screened, I may not be here today.”
In recognition of National Colon Cancer Awareness Month, HealthEngine recently signed the “80% by 2018” pledge sponsored by the CDC and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. In doing so, the group has joined the more than 600 organizations that have committed to a shared goal of ensuring that at least 80% of adults aged 50 and older are regularly screened for colorectal cancer by 2018.
Though its Get Paid To Save™ campaign, HealthEngine is offering eligible healthcare consumers a payment of up to $500 when they get a recommended screening at participating healthcare providers within that person’s insurance network. A cash incentive is also available for those people who take the initiative to encourage colleagues, friends, and loved ones to get screened, aptly terming this “good colon karma”. HealthEngine is uniquely positioned to make this work through its competitive marketplace, a platform that can significantly lower the cost of care beyond the rates that a person’s health plan has negotiated – sometimes by up to 70% - while still using their standard insurance coverage at the same providers in their plan network.
A physician-led company, HealthEngine helps individuals and doctors learn more about the background and quality of virtually every clinician and facility in the country. For its Get Paid To Save™ colon cancer screening campaign HealthEngine is partnering with the Colon Cancer Coalition to spread the word, and will donate 5% of the proceeds from the initiative toward the charity’s efforts to increase colon cancer screenings. “Reaching 80% screening for colon cancer by 2018 will have an immediate impact and save lives,” added Anne Carlson, executive director for the Colon Cancer Coalition. “We know how to find and treat colon cancer, and when cancer is found in the early stages the survival rates are over 90%. Colonoscopy can find and remove precancerous polyps before they become cancer, thereby preventing disease. We are excited about the potential of this program to move the needle and get more people screened.”
HealthEngine founder and CEO, Dr. Jonathan Weiss said: “We must do everything we can to motivate vulnerable people to be proactive in protecting themselves from this deadly, yet super-preventable disease. If offering a financial incentive can do its part in saving lives, let’s get started today in making colon cancer unwelcome throughout the country.”
To learn more about this Get Paid to Save™ initiative, to book a colonoscopy appointment or to encourage a friend or family member, please visit: getpaidtosave.com or call 877-373-6262.
About HealthEngine:
HealthEngine, a health technology company, provides a technology platform that empowers consumers to save up to 80% on high quality healthcare services as compared to current insurer-negotiated pricing, positions employers to reduce their healthcare spend, and gives physicians the ability to communicate their clinical quality, all within a dynamic marketplace. Utilizing HealthEngine, consumers can finally shop for quality healthcare services the same way they do for virtually everything else that matters to them.
About the Colon Cancer Coalition:
The Colon Cancer Coalition is a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, dedicated to encouraging screening and raising awareness for colon cancer. The organization's signature Get Your Rear in Gear® and Tour de Tush™ events are volunteer-driven in communities throughout the United States. Since 2004, millions of dollars have been granted by the Colon Cancer Coalition to local programs that promote early prevention, screening, and patient support services for this disease. By making the words colon, colorectal and colonoscopy a part of the everyday language, we believe we can overcome the fear and decrease deaths from this largely preventable cancer. For more information visit ColonCancerCoalition.org.
Stephanie Kowalski, HealthEngine, http://www.healthengine.com, +1 (773) 499-9594, [email protected]
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