What is Preventive Care?
Preventive care means getting regular check-ups, screenings, and routine vaccines to help you stay healthy and catch any issues early. An annual wellness visit is a once-a-year check-up where your doctor ensures you’re healthy and getting the care you need.
Why is Preventive Care Important?
Preventive care helps you avoid getting sick and can catch health problems early when they are easier to treat. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Preventive Care for Adults
All adults can get these services for free during their annual wellness visit when they see a doctor in their health plan’s network:
- Screenings: Check for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.
- Cancer Checks: Screenings for colorectal cancer (ages 45-75) and lung cancer for heavy smokers (ages 50-80).
- Mental Health: Screenings for depression and alcohol misuse.
- Immunizations: Get vaccinated for flu, hepatitis, HPV, and more.
- Lifestyle Counseling: Advice for a healthy diet and quitting smoking.
See a complete list of $0 preventative care services.
Women-Specific Preventive Care
Women have extra $0 preventive care benefits:
- Pregnancy: Screenings for gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and hepatitis B. Breastfeeding support.
- Cancer Checks: Mammograms every 1-2 years (ages 40+), cervical cancer screenings, and genetic counseling for breast cancer risk.
- Birth Control: Various contraceptive methods and education are covered.
- Well-Woman Visits: Yearly check-ups to ensure overall health.
See a complete list of $0 preventative care services.
Children’s Preventive Care
Kids also get special care to keep them growing strong:
- Regular Check-ups: Well-baby and well-child visits to monitor growth and development.
- Screenings: Check for vision, hearing, and developmental milestones. Screen for autism at 18 and 24 months.
- Immunizations: Vaccinations for diseases like chickenpox, measles, and polio.
- Health Advice: Assessments for healthy eating and lifestyle choices, plus counseling for older kids on avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
See a complete list of $0 preventative care services.
Talk to Your Doctor!
To stay on top of your health, talk to your in-network provider about which preventive services are best for you. And don’t forget to schedule your annual wellness visit to ensure you get the care you need. These steps can help you stay healthy and catch any potential issues early. Stay proactive and make your health a priority!
You can find a provider here if you don’t already have a doctor.