Medicare Prevention Screenings

Home health care patients who are covered under Medicare often have many preventative health services available to them at little or no cost. Caregivers should know how to find these services and should have their patients adhere to a preventative health care schedule to avoid future health problems. There are many types of conditions that can benefit from early detection and treatment.

The National Council on Aging (www.ncoa.org) is a good resource for information on Medicare in addition to the government’s own website (www.medicare.gov). Preventative services provided by Medicare include:

1. A wellness exam covered once every 12 months that is an overall screening of health by the patient’s primary care doctor; the doctor may order additional tests or refer the patient to specialists that are not necessarily covered by Medicare, so it is up to the patient and caregiver to understand the patient’s financial responsibility for any additional treatments

2. Screening for the following cancers: breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer; the frequency of these screenings are generally every 12 or 24 months and also depend upon the patient’s risk factors

3. Screening for diabetes, which is a disease that is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States; diabetics who control their disease with blood sugar regulation, healthy eating, and physical fitness have an excellent chance of suffering fewer side effects from diabetes; this screening in generally offered twice per year

4. Flu shots are fully covered by Medicare and are offered in the fall or winter during flu season; patients can get a flu shot at their regular doctor’s office, a clinic, or even at some pharmacies which offer the shot; the flu shot is important for seniors since their immune systems are often unable to fight off the deadly effects of influenza

5. Bone mass measurement for those who are at risk for developing osteoporosis, including: women over 50 with a history or family history of broken bones; low body weight (under 125 pounds); or calcium deficiency; this screening is usually offered every 24 months or more if necessary

6. Cardiovascular screening to check for cardiovascular disease, which can result in high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, and heart attack; a blood test to measure high cholesterol is a good indicator of cardiovascular problems; high cholesterol can usually be combated with healthy eating, physical exercise, medication, or a combination of all three.

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