CRC SCREENING GUIDELINES

The Cologuard® and Cologuard Plus® tests are included in major (CRC) screening guidelines and quality measures1-9

The USPSTF and ACS recommend CRC screening starting at age 451,2*†

Screening guidelines recommend a 3-year screening interval following a negative Cologuard result1,2‡

Receive 3 years of Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) quality credit 3§

New ACS Guideline provides clear recommendations based on clinical evidence2

ACS-PREFERRED2 NOT ACS-PREFERRED2||
Colonoscopy ng-mt-sDNA
(e.g., Cologuard Plus) 		FIT
(e.g., OC-Auto® Micro 80, Polymedco, Inc.) 		mt-sRNA
(e.g., ColoSense®) 		Blood-based tests
(e.g., PREEMPT-CRC and Shield)
ABBOTT CRC SCREENING
icon-book-check-bright-blueHEDIS® CREDIT 10 years
quality credit3		 3 years
quality credit3		 1 year
quality credit3		 No measure credit3 No measure credit3
icon-important-bright-blueUSAGE &
RESTRICTIONS		 Recommended
every 10 years2		 Recommended
every 3 years2		 Recommended
every year2		 Recommended
every 3 years2		 Recommended
every 3 years2¶
icon-rx-laptop-bright-blueCOVERAGE
(for follow-up colonoscopy)		 N/A Coverage required with no cost sharing10,11 Coverage required with no cost sharing10,11 Subject to cost sharing (Medicare coverage only)1,10,11 Subject to cost sharing (Medicare coverage only)1,6,11

Learn more about the 2026 ACS CRC screening guideline recommendations.

View Here

The Cologuard Plus® test is recommended by the ACS as a preferred CRC screening modality for average-risk patients 45+2*†

Cologuard Plus stool DNA test kit on a blue background.

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Cologuard adherence

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  • HEDIS® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
  • * The USPSTF found adequate evidence that screening eligible patients aged 45 to 49 years provides a moderate benefit in reducing CRC deaths and increasing life-years gained. USPSTF-recommended screening modalities include stool-based tests or direct visualization tests.1
  • † The ACS makes a qualified recommendation for screening in eligible patients aged 45 to 49 years, indicating clear evidence of benefit of screening but less certainty about the balance of benefits, harms, and patient preferences. ACS-recommended screening modalities include high-sensitivity stool-based tests or structural (visual) examinations.2
  • ‡ The USPSTF-recommended screening frequency for sDNA-FIT is every 1 to 3 years. The ACS-recommended screening interval for mt-sDNA is every 3 years.1,2
  • §sDNA (i.e., the Cologuard test) is one of the methods permitted for patients at average risk aged 45 to 75 years as part of the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) HEDIS® quality measures for colon cancer screening. Third-party guidelines and quality measures do not specifically “endorse” commercial products, and inclusion in same does not imply otherwise. HEDIS® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).3
  • ||Non-preferred screening modalities are recommended only for those who decline ACS-preferred tests.2
  • Manufacturers have not specified a recommended interval; however, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services specifies a 3-year interval for Medicare beneficiaries.2,6

ACS=American Cancer Society; CRC=colorectal cancer; DNA=deoxyribonucleic acid; FIT=fecal immunochemical test; HEDIS=Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set; ng-mt-sDNA=next-generation multi-target stool DNA; mt-sDNA=multi-target stool DNA; mt-sRNA=multi-target stool RNA; RNA=ribonucleic acid; USPSTF=United States Preventive Services Task Force.