Medicare pays for many preventive services to keep people healthy.
Preventive services, like screening tests, may find disease early when
it may be easier to treat. Shots and vaccines help keep people from
getting dangerous infections or illnesses.
“”Be sure to get
your ‘Welcome to Medicare’ physical exam,” advises
AARP DC Communications Director Grier Mendel “within the first
12 months that you start Part B.” This is a once in a lifetime
opportunity to get up-to-date on important screenings and shots. Many
people new to Medicare take advantage of the chance to talk with their
doctor about family medical history and how to stay healthy.
Other preventive services that
Medicare covers:
- Cardiovascular screenings
that check cholesterol.
- Breast cancer screening with
a mammogram
- Cervical and vaginal cancer
screening with Pap tests and pelvic exams
- Colorectal cancer screening
to help find growths in the colon so they can be removed before they
turn into cancer
- Prostate cancer screening by
either a digital rectal exam or Prostate Specific Antigen blood test
- Bone Mass measurements to
check for risk for broken bones
- Shots to prevent flu,
pneumococcal infections and Hepatitis B
- Diabetes screening, supplies
and training
- Medical nutrition counseling
for those with diabetes or kidney disease
- Tests for those at high risk
for glaucoma
- Counseling to quit smoking
for those with a smoking-related illness or taking medications that
may be affected by tobacco.
The cost of these services
varies depending on whether the person is on Original Medicare (Part
B) or a Medicare Advantage plan. Under Part B, some screenings are
free; for other screenings the patient will need to pay the doctor the
usual 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount. “Check with
your Medicare Advantage plan to find out if there are any costs for
these preventative screenings,” explained Mendel.
“Medicare Interactive, www.aarp.org/medicareinteractive, has
answers to many questions about Medicare. And check with
www.medicare.gov or call
1-800-MEDICARE for more information.”