A healthy lifestyle is the key to staying vibrant and strong into your golden years. But eating right, getting plenty of exercise, and avoiding bad habits are only part of the solution. Seniors need to be proactive when it comes to maintaining health and well-being. Luckily, Medicare offers a variety of preventive care and screening services that are included as part of your benefits package. Preventive services are designed to prevent you from getting sick or ill. Typically, they include exams, lab tests, shots, and screenings that help detect problems early on when treatment is most successful. In addition, preventive care includes counseling that can help seniors make more informed decisions about lifestyle choices as they age. If you’re looking to learn what preventive and screening services Medicare covers, the following information can help.
Preventive and Screening Services
For seniors enrolled in Medicare, a key benefit is preventive services or those exams, tests, and screenings that provide a snapshot into the state of your health and well-being. Staying current with all of the required exams and screenings is the most effective way to ensure you stay healthy and strong. In addition to a “Welcome to Medicare” visit, seniors can expect to receive an annual wellness visit along with routine glaucoma tests, bone density tests, flu shots, and even tests for identifying sexually transmitted diseases.
Covered Preventive Services
One-time “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit
Glaucoma tests
Bone mass measurements
Sexually transmitted infection testing
Yearly wellness visit
Flu, Hepatitis B, and Pneumococcal shots
Cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease affect thousands of seniors each year, and Medicare offers regular screenings as part of preventive care benefits. Treatment is most successful when illness is detected early, which is why screening services are prioritized as an important preventive benefit.
Covered Screening Services
Multiple cancers
Hepatitis C
Diabetes
Depression
Obesity
Alcohol
Cardiovascular
HIV
Finally, Medicare recognizes that seniors often struggle with making healthy lifestyle choices. Original Medicare provides a variety of counseling services designed to help interested seniors learn about important lifestyle choices. Important information on alcohol use, smoking, and even tips on how to prepare nutritious meals are provided as part of Medicare preventive counseling services. By giving seniors the tools and resources they need to make more informed decisions, Medicare encourages health and wellness for well-deserving seniors.
Covered Counseling Services
Alcohol
Obesity
Sexually transmitted infections
Tobacco use cessation
Nutrition therapy
References:
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/preventive-and-screening-services.html
MUC17-2016-BCBS
