How to Stay on Top of Preventive Care with Medicare

What if avoiding major medical problems was easier than you ever imagined? 

The main secret to avoiding serious medical conditions is getting the right preventive care. Unfortunately, many who could benefit the most from this preventive care don’t know where to get it or are unable to afford it. 

Fortunately, those who have Medicare can stay on top of preventive care very easily. Keep reading to learn exactly what you should do! 

Will Medicare Pay For My Preventive Care? 

The short answer to this is “yes.” The government understands that it is better for everyone involved if you stay on top of your health. As we noted above, many who need preventive care don’t get it because they don’t have enough money. Accordingly, Medicare covers much of the costs involved. 

We say “much” because regular preventive care sessions may also lead to diagnostic care, which may bring an additional cost. The exact provider you use can also impact how much you pay. 

Don’t worry, though: our guide will help you save money on preventive care whenever possible! 

How Is “Preventive Care” Defined? 

Basically, preventive care is designed to help detect illness and keep you healthy in the future. Another way to think of this is that preventive care is not based on a particular medical diagnosis. 

You’ve probably had a few preventive care sessions in your life. This includes annual checkups, wellness visits, and screening tests. And to better understand what preventive care is, you need to understand how it differs from diagnostic care. 

Preventive Care Versus Diagnostic Care 

Compared to preventive care, diagnostic care is very straightforward. Once a health issue has been detected, diagnostic care focuses on treating the condition and learning more about it. This is when you get treatment for specific symptoms, tests to determine the extent of your illness, and future doctor visits to provide the ongoing care that you need. 

As we noted earlier, receiving only preventive care or both preventive and diagnostic care may affect how much you pay. For example, preventive care will be very cheap or possibly free altogether, but diagnostic care will bring additional charges. Most long-term healthcare arrangements are not covered by Medicare. 

Here is a fairly simple example: a cancer screening or colonoscopy would be considered preventive care and covered by Medicare. But if they detect anything, such as polyps, then treatment to remove the polyps would be considered diagnostic care and billed as such, even if it happens during the same procedure. 

Why Is Preventive Care So Important? 

First off, preventive care can save you a lot of money. By having Medicare pay for a variety of preventive care services, you can really stay on top of your health. And this care is likely to catch a serious condition before it gets any worse, which may greatly reduce the cost of your treatment. 

Second, preventive care helps improve your overall health. Think of it this way: things like high blood pressure can lead to many health problems that are difficult and expensive to treat. But preventive care can help you explore changes in lifestyle and diet to lower your blood pressure before you need expensive medicine. 

Finally, preventive care will simply help you live longer. Using our example from above, detecting rising blood pressure early may prevent someone from developing something like heart disease. This ultimately gives you more years to spend with your friends and family. 

Do I Qualify For Every Service? 

The answer to this question is both “yes” and “no.” We say “yes” because all of these services will be covered by your Medicare, so there is nothing that is theoretically off-limits to you. But we say “no” because you must first qualify for many of these services. For example, you need to exhibit signs of depression to qualify for depression screenings, and you may need a referral from a specialist to begin certain medical nutritional therapy treatment. 

Get the Best Care, Starting Today 

Now you know more about why preventive care is so important and how Medicare can help. But do you know which insurance carrier can help you stay on top of your health? 

Here at InsureOne Insurance, we are always ready for you to get a quote online for a full range of health and other insurance services. Alternatively, you can grab the phone and give us a call at 800-836-2240. Finally, feel free to come into one of our convenient nearby offices today!