Improving health outcomes and lowering costs with colon cancer testing programs

The escalation of colon cancer, its consequences and costs

Colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, and for men under 50. For women in the same age group, it stands as the second deadliest behind breast cancer. It’s estimated colon cancer will become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in 20- to 49-year-olds by 2030. 

Additionally, colon cancer has the second highest treatment cost of any cancer, accounting for $24.3 billion in healthcare costs. So, not only does colon cancer take a physical, mental and emotional toll on patients and their families, it also comes with a financial burden for individuals, their employer and their health insurer. 

While colon cancer and its treatment costs hold significant weight for patients, employers and insurers, early intervention can support improved outcomes for all.

The importance of colorectal cancer screening programs

Diagnosing cancer early is essential in saving lives, as well as costs.

Recognizing this importance, Labcorp created an employee-focused colon cancer screening campaign in 2024. The goal was to encourage our employees to stay on top of age-appropriate preventive screenings and reinforce the important role they play in the early detection and treatment of cancer. 

This is because we believe taking care of our employees' health isn’t just a responsibility, but a commitment demonstrated in action to our core mission of improving health and improving lives. 

Designing and implementing the campaign

Prior to starting the program, we noticed a trend in our medical plan data. Cancer costs were escalating due to an increasing number of employees and family members with cancer diagnoses. 

This realization sparked the creation of the campaign, which focused on increasing preventive prostate, breast, skin and colon cancer screening rates among employees. The goal was clear: improve the rate of preventive screenings and ultimately catch cancers at earlier, more treatable stages.

Breaking down colon cancer screening barriers

To maximize the program’s success, we focused on eliminating as many screening barriers as possible. After identifying and addressing potential reasons for not getting screened, we designed an approach to eliminate these barriers. The approach for colon cancer screening had four cornerstones:

The power and impact of communication

We recognized even the best program would fail without effectively communicating its benefits to our employees. A multi-channel, multi-directional communication strategy included:

1. Targeted communications. 58% of people are more likely to take an at-home test if they receive it directly from their insurance carrier. So, we partnered with our health plan carriers to target messages to people at higher risk who were missing recommended screenings.
2. Testimonials. We created a powerful video featuring an employee sharing their cancer journey. This story was relatable and emotional, dispelling the aspect of human behavior where we think “it’ll never happen to me.” Creating space for individuals to share their stories of what it was like to face a scary diagnosis, how they coped, what they went through and what life is like on the other side of a life-changing experience helps to further create a company culture where employees support one another to live their healthiest lives. 
3. Wellness champions. Wellness champions at Labcorp also served as role models, motivating, encouraging and supporting employees to get involved with the program. These individuals are health-conscious volunteers passionate about fostering a healthier workplace. 
4. Company-wide emails. We distributed the video in companywide emails and posted it to our intranet site to maximize visibility and increase impact.
5. Home mailers. We also worked with Optum Health to analyze claims data and identify gaps in care so they could create custom communications to employees and their families. This approach effectively addressed any HIPAA concerns, as we remained unaware of who received the mailings, maintaining employee privacy while still providing targeted health information. The messaging let employees know the ColoFIT test collection kits were free and how they could order them while emphasizing the convenience and importance of the program.
6. Reminders through wellness platform. One of the reasons the program was so successful was our use of the familiar WellConnect Plus Platform, which employees already use for their wellness screening and flu vaccinations. We also timed the launch of the program to coincide with its annual biometric screening event, increasing visibility and engagement.

Results of the program 

The initial response to the program was overwhelming in the best possible way. We anticipated employees would order a couple hundred kits in total, but almost 5,000 kits were requested. This far exceeded expectations and demonstrated the power of removing barriers and effective communication.

However, we also learned getting people to order the kits was just the first step. The next challenge was ensuring people returned the kits for testing. 

Of the nearly 5,000 kits requested, approximately 2,000 were returned for a 36% return rate. Of those, 6% had a positive result, and of those employees, 72% had an office visit after their positive result. Specialties included general practice, family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry, gastroenterology and more.

Looking ahead

This experience taught us the importance and need for follow-up communication. As a next step, we’re analyzing data on kit orders, returns and positive results to evaluate the program's success and identify areas for improvement.

In the future, we will focus on several key areas:

The big picture

While it's too early to quantify the long-term impact of this program, we’re optimistic about its potential to save lives and reduce healthcare costs. By catching cancers earlier, we hope to see a shift from late-stage diagnoses requiring complex, expensive treatments to early-stage diagnoses with better outcomes and lower costs.

Implementing a comprehensive colon cancer screening program is not without its challenges, but the potential benefits far outweigh the difficulties. Investing in prevention now invests in healthier, happier futures for employees, members and their families. 

Considerations for starting your colon cancer screening program

If you’re an employer or payer looking to implement similar programs, here are key considerations and takeaways from our program:

• Think about the entire journey, from initial awareness to follow-up care
• Remove as many barriers as possible
• Provide convenient options like at-home testing kits
• Implement a multi-channel, multi-directional communication strategy
• Use personal stories to create emotional connections and drive engagement
• Analyze data at every stage to continually improve your program
• Consider partnering with diagnostic testing companies, health plans and wellness vendors to support your initiative