Reminder: Easy colorectal cancer screening available via CHL, Cologuard

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and eligible Purdue employees and their spouses covered on a Purdue health plan can take advantage of a convenient at-home colorectal cancer screening option available through the Center for Healthy Living (CHL).

For the seventh consecutive year, the CHL — in partnership with Cologuard and Exact Sciences — is offering the Cologuard screening kit, a noninvasive stool-based test that detects blood and abnormal DNA associated with colon cancer and precancer. The screening is covered under Purdue health plans, and individuals do not need to be established patients with CHL providers to participate.

How to get started

Employees and covered spouses can begin by completing a brief prescreening questionnaire on the Your Path Wellness Portal (click the “See Latest” button on the right side of the page to access the survey). After completing the questionnaire, CHL staff will reach out to schedule an appointment. If eligible, a Cologuard kit will then be mailed directly to the participant’s home.

Eligibility

Cologuard is intended for average-risk individuals ages 45 to 85. It is not recommended for those who:

• Are younger than 45
• Are older than 85
• Have a personal or family history of colon cancer
• Have a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or colonic polyps
• Have completed a Cologuard screening within the past three years
• Have had a colonoscopy within the last 10 years

CHL staff can help individuals who do not meet these criteria explore other screening options.

Wellness incentive opportunity

Colorectal screenings and colonoscopies count toward the 2026 Your Path Wellness Program incentive as an optional Step 2 incentive screening. Participants may complete their screening through this campaign or independently at any time during 2026 and still qualify. More information on how to earn incentives via the Your Path Wellness Program is available here.

Questions?

For more information, visit the “Screening for colon cancer with Cologuard” webpage and the Cologuard webpage or call the CHL at 765-494-0111.