Welcome to CheckIt4Andretti’s FAQ page, your resource for understanding colorectal cancer and our mission to provide free colonoscopies to uninsured and underinsured individuals.
Below, you’ll find answers to common questions organized into three categories: essential information about colorectal cancer, details on screening and diagnosis procedures, and specifics about colonoscopy program, including eligibility, referral processes, and our valued clinic and gastroenterology partners.
About Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is a cancer that is found in the colon and rectum that begins with polyps found in the lining of the colon and rectum.
Colorectal cancer’s causes are unknown but there are risks that are inherited and come from different lifestyle factors. Smoking, lack of exercise, and obesity may place someone at larger risk for colorectal cancer. Genetic factors could increase a person’s susceptibility to the disease.
It is the third most common cancer and there are more than 150,000 new cases in the United States each year. 1 in 23 men and 1 in 25 women in the United States will be diagnosed with colon cancer.
Men and women over the age of 50 are at almost an equal risk of developing colorectal cancer. Those who have a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.
If you are 45 or older, you should talk to your doctor about yearly screenings. These screenings can identify polyps and allow time for the removal of precancerous polyps to prevent the future development of cancer. Early screening is the best way to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer.
A polyp is a group of cells that form on the lining of the colon. These polyps are typically removed. It is important to find the polyps early before they develop into cancerous cells.
Screening and Diagnosis
Doctors can diagnose colon cancer in a few different ways. This may include blood and stool tests, CAT scans, PET scans, and the most common being a colonoscopy.
CheckIt4Andretti Services
CheckIt4Andretti provides free colonoscopies to uninsured or underinsured patients who are referred from one of our free or charitable healthcare partners. Patients must meet the participation criteria set by the free or charitable clinic. CheckIt4Andretti does not select patients or determine financial eligibility.
Due to patient confidentiality concerns and the need for financial information disclosures, CheckIt4Andretti is not able to accept applications directly at this time. If you are uninsured or underinsured and live in an area served by one of our charitable clinic partners, we encourage you to look into getting set up as a patient with them. Our free and charitable clinic partners will ask about your insurance and income status to determine your eligibility. If you qualify based on their guidelines, the clinic will refer you if they find you need a colonoscopy.
Any person who is a patient at one of our partner free or charitable clinic partners is eligible for a free colonoscopy. Healthcare providers at our partner clinics decide if a patient needs a colonoscopy based on age, symptoms or risk factors. The clinic then refers the patient to one of our partner gastroenterology groups to perform the colonoscopy. CheckIt4Andretti is billed by the gastroenterologist.
Our partners may refer patients for a colonoscopy for several reasons. These include being age 45 or older, having a positive FIT (stool) test, a family history of colon cancer, or symptoms such as blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, or unexplained weight loss. Patients with genetic conditions like Lynch Syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) may also be referred.
CheckIt4Andretti currently partners with several free and charitable clinics across North Carolina, including: The Community Free Clinic in Concord, HealthReach Community Clinic in Mooresville, Cook Community Clinic in Huntersville, and the Community Care Clinic of Rowan in Salisbury.
CheckIt4Andretti’s gastroenterology partners currently include: NorthEast Digestive Health, Concord, NC , Digestive Health Associates – Rowan Diagnostic Clinic, Mooresville, NC, and Westfield Endoscopy Center at Riverview Health Westfield Hospital, Noblesville, In.