Appropriate Follow-Up Interval for Normal Colonoscopy in Average Risk Patients
Percentage of patients aged 45 to 75 years of age receiving a screening colonoscopy without biopsy or polypectomy who had a recommended follow-up interval of 10 years for repeat colonoscopy documented in their colonoscopy report.
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.
📖Clinical Rationale
In the average-risk population, colorectal cancer screening using colonoscopy is recommended in all current guidelines at 10- year intervals. Inappropriate interval recommendations can result in overuse of resources and can lead to significant patient harm and unnecessary healthcare expenditures. Performing colonoscopy too often not only increases patients’ exposure to procedural harm, but also drains resources that could be more effectively used to adequately screen those in need of more urgent colonoscopy.
Variations in the recommended time interval between colonoscopies exist for patients with normal colonoscopy findings. In a 2006 study of 1282 colonoscopy reports, recommendations were consistent with contemporaneous guidelines in only 39.2% of cases and with current guidelines in 36.7% of cases. Further, the adjusted mean number of years in which repeat colonoscopy was recommended was 7.
8 years following normal colonoscopy.
📝Clinical Recommendations
At present, colonoscopy every 10 years is an acceptable option for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in average-risk adults beginning at age 45 years. (USPSTF 2021, USMSTF 2021). The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends CRC screening using stool-based tests (fecal occult blood test, fecal immunochemical test [FIT], FIT-DNA), sigmoidoscopy, CT colonography, or colonoscopy in adults, beginning at age 45 years and continuing until the age of 75 years (USPSTF Grade B recommendation for age 45-49; USPSTF Grade A recommendation for age 50-75).
The risks and benefits of these screening methods vary (USPSTF, 2021). The decision to screen for colorectal cancer in adults 76 to 85 years of age should be an individual one, taking into account the patient’s overall health, prior screening history, and preferences (Grade C recommendation) (USPSTF, 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 for the performance period. The most advantageous quality data code will be used if the measure is submitted more than once. Patients who have a coded colonoscopy procedure that has a modifier 52, 53, 73, or 74 will not qualify for inclusion into the measure.
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