Colorectal Cancer Screening
Percentage of patients 45-75 years of age who had appropriate screening for colorectal cancer.
Last updated: January 15, 2026
🧮MIPS Score Simulator
Estimate only — actual CMS scoring may vary based on reporting method, data completeness, and annual rule updates.
No benchmarks available for this measure.
📖Clinical Rationale
Colorectal cancer represents eight percent of all new cancer cases in the United States. In 2020, there are an estimated 147,950 new cases of colorectal cancer and an estimated 53,200 deaths attributed to it. According to the National Cancer Institute, about 4.2 percent of men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer at some point during their lifetimes.
For most adults, older age is the most important risk factor for colorectal cancer, although being male and black are also associated with higher incidence and mortality. Colorectal cancer is most frequently diagnosed among people 65 to 74 years old. Screening can be effective for finding precancerous lesions (polyps) that could later become malignant, and for detecting early cancers that can be more easily and effectively treated.
Precancerous polyps usually take about 10 to 15 years to develop into colorectal cancer, and most can be found and removed before turning into cancer. The five- year relative survival rate for people whose colorectal cancer is found in the early stage before it has spread is about 90 percent.
📝Clinical Recommendations
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2021) recommends screening for colorectal cancer in adults aged 45 to 49 years. This is a Grade B recommendation (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force 2021). The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2021) recommends screening for colorectal cancer in adults aged 50 to 75 years. This is a Grade A recommendation (U.
S. Preventive Services Task Force, 2021).
📋Implementation Notes
This measure contains one strata defined by a single submission criteria. This measure produces a single performance rate. For the purposes of MIPS implementation, this patient-process measure is submitted a minimum of once per patient during the performance period. The most advantageous quality data code (QDC) will be used if the measure is submitted more than once.
This measure specification is only available for MIPS Value Pathway (MVP) reporting and is not available for traditional MIPS reporting.
Report this measure through VBCA
Our QCDR handles measure selection, data validation, and submission—so you can focus on clinical performance.
Learn About Our QCDR →