Chi Health Mercy Hospital issued the following announcement.
Free of charge and incredibly valuable. Sound too good to be true?
Most insurance companies cover a yearly preventive care visit at no charge to you. It’s the best way to get the screenings and vaccinations which keep you healthier – and ultimately reduce your health care costs.
The visit is priceless if you catch cancer early when it’s preventable or easily treatable. It can also be life-changing if a chronic condition like heart disease or pre-diabetes is detected early and treated with lifestyle changes instead of medication.
Skipping these visits comes at a real cost. “The most obvious danger is certain kinds of cancers and chronic diseases can get a head start,” said Sarah Stobbe, APRN, CHI Health Nurse Practitioner. “Caught early, there are much better outcomes.”
Keep in mind the recommended ages for screening tests like mammograms and colonoscopies vary depending on your family history. That’s why a preventive visit, where you discuss these factors, is so important.
Preventive care visits include:
- Blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol tests
- Cancer screenings, including mammograms and colonoscopies
- Depression screening
- Wellness counseling on quitting smoking, losing weight, eating healthfully, reducing alcohol use
- Vaccinations, including flu, shingles, pneumonia
- Counseling, screening and vaccinations to ensure healthy pregnancies
Additional screenings may be recommended depending on your risk. Examples include:
- Osteoporosis screening to prevent fractures for postmenopausal women younger than 65 at increased risk of osteoporosis.
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening for men aged 65-75 who are former smokers.
- Lung cancer screening for adults aged 50 to 80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.
Don’t leave your insurance dollars on the table – or your health at risk. Schedule a yearly preventive visit today. Call your provider and ask for a “Preventive Care Visit.”
MDsave Keeps Cash in Your Pocket
Online shopping for health care? You can save up to 60% on CHI Health medical procedures such as MRIs, mammograms and colonoscopies with MDsave, an online tool that lets you comparison shop.
Compare local prices and buy your procedure, all in one place. It’s an ideal option for people with high-deductible insurance or are in between plans. Go to MDsave.com to find out more.
Original source can be found here.
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