Text Size: AAA
Print

In Home Colorectal Cancer Screening or Hemoglobin A1c Test Kits for Blue AdvantageSM Blue Advantage PlusSM and Federal Employee Program® Members

November 8, 2017

Beginning in October, some Blue Advantage, Blue Advantage Plus, and Federal Employee Program (FEP) members may have received the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FOBT/FIT) (colorectal cancer screening) 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. The hemoglobin A1c outreach will be initiated first in the series and the FIT kits will be forthcoming. Members can expect to receive a communication from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) or FEP about the tests, and within that communication, members will have the option to opt out of the program and decline the test kits.

The following two tests will be sent out to our members and processed by the Home Access Health Corporation and are offered at no additional cost to members:

  • FIT Tests for colorectal cancer screenings

  • A1C tests for blood sugar control for diabetes

Home Access Health Corporation is an independent company that provides laboratory testing and will 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.

We are requesting that you do the following:

  • Encourage your patients to take these test kits should they receive them and advise your patients that after taking the tests, they should return them in the prepaid postage envelope to the address listed.

  • Reiterate to your patients that they should provide their PCP's name and mailing address, along with their sample, to receive the test results.

  • Please be on the lookout for these test results so that you can place them into the member’s 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 use the Customer Service number listed on the back of their insurance card.