WHY YOU GOT A COLOGUARD® TEST

Received Cologuard but didn’t request it?
Here’s why.

The American Cancer Society recommends that people who are 45+ and at average risk get screened for colon cancer.1 This is why a lot of health insurance companies want to help their members stay up to date with screenings.


Your health insurer may have requested a kit for you based on your eligibility. You should’ve received a letter, text, or email saying that the Cologuard test is part of your benefits, so it comes at no cost to you.

Approved by the FDA
Trusted by more than 340,000 providers2
Used by 20 million patients3
WHAT IS THE COLOGUARD TEST?

No appointment. No prep. No cost to you.

  • For adults 45+ at average risk
  • A noninvasive, prescription-based colon cancer screening test
  • Looks for both abnormal DNA and blood in your stool
  • Use at home to collect a sample, then send it back to our lab for testing and results
  • Screen again for colon cancer 3 years after a negative Cologuard test result1
The Cologuard collection kit box

Cologuard makes screening simple, private, and convenient

Colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers.4 It’s also more treatable in 9 out of 10 people if caught early.5 Your Cologuard box contains everything you need to collect and send your sample back to us.

Delivered right to your door

Your health insurance requested your kit, so it has either already arrived or is about to ship. Look for a white or brown box.

Zero downtime with no prep

No in-person appointment is needed, and no need to change your diet or medications either. Collect a stool sample in the privacy of your home, on your schedule.

Easy to understand results

Once the lab receives your kit, expect your test results in 8 to 10 days. You can then share it with a doctor or health care provider to discuss next steps or any required follow-up care.

Screen every 3 years1

Unlike other noninvasive options that are used once a year, the American Cancer Society recommends screening again three years after a negative Cologuard test result.

What’s next?

See how simple it is to collect a sample. You’ll also find a quick start guide inside your Cologuard box.
Watch our how to use video
Read our quick start guide

Your kit comes with a pre-paid UPS® shipping return label. To send it back to our lab for testing, just drop it off or schedule a pickup.


Take a peek inside Exact Sciences Laboratories to see the care we put into your care.

Understanding your results
Once we receive your sample, your test results will be available in 8 to 10 days. Let's explore what a positive or negative result means.

Frequently asked questions

Cologuard is an FDA-approved, noninvasive, prescription-based, use-at-home collection kit for screening people 45 or older who are at average risk for colon cancer. Collect a sample in the privacy of your home and ship it back to our lab for testing.
Learn more

It’s becoming more common for health insurance companies or health systems to request that no-cost screenings, like Cologuard, be sent to help their members stay up to date with cancer screening guidelines. These organizations are allowed to share information with certified laboratories like Exact Sciences for health care purposes, such as preventative cancer screenings.


You should have received a letter, text, or email notifying you about this initiative and letting you know that you can receive a Cologuard at no cost. If you didn’t receive a notification, we apologize for the confusion.


Please know that very limited information was shared with our laboratory to process and send your test kit, and we take patient privacy very seriously.

Colon cancer is the most preventable, yet least prevented cancer.1 When caught in its early stages (I & II), it’s survivable in 9 out of 10 of people.2

Cologuard found 92% of all colon cancers (and 94% of all stage I & II cancers) in a clinical study of 10,000 participants, ages 50-84 years old, who are of average risk for colorectal cancer.
  • Imperiale TF, Ransohoff DF, Itzkowitz SH, et al. Multi-target stool DNA testing for colorectal-cancer screening. N Engl J Med. 2014;370(14):1287-1297.

In some cases, your primary care provider will be provided with a copy of your results. Please share your results with them, and discuss any next steps or follow-up care that may be required.

Cologuard orders require a prescription. A licensed health care provider may have placed one on your behalf. If you have a primary care doctor, please share your results with them.

UPS® returns your completed test to our lab in Madison, Wisconsin. Exact Sciences Laboratories is the sole lab that processes Cologuard tests. Results are typically available within 8 to 10 days. You will receive a notification when yours is ready. Our lab is dedicated to delivering accurate results and providing the service you deserve. If you have any questions, please call 1-844-340-1594.

Exact Sciences Laboratories is a CLIA-certified laboratory. Your health insurance company can share your information for health care purposes with providers like us. We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your information, including your test results.

Your health insurance will only be billed once there is a valid result. If you received Cologuard as part of your insurance benefits, there is no cost to you.