As we age, it becomes increasingly important to keep a close eye on our bodies and health. Utilizing Medicare preventive services can help you stay healthy by discovering and treating medical issues before they become unmanageable.

Preventive services help prevent major health concerns before it is too late. In addition to discovering health issues of which you may be unaware, utilizing Medicare preventive services also drastically helps reduce the amount you spend on healthcare each year.

The earlier the discovery, the earlier treatment can begin. Thus, in most cases, you can return to your regular day-to-day routine sooner.

If you’re on Medicare but haven’t been utilizing Medicare preventive services, what are you waiting for? Below, we help you understand which Medicare preventive services may benefit you and how to get started today!

Your First Step to a Healthy Future: The Annual Wellness Exam

Each calendar year, Medicare pays for one annual wellness exam from the physician of your choice. This visit is to ensure that you are up-to-date on your screenings, ensure that no pre-existing health conditions have progressed and that no new health conditions have arisen.

When you attend your annual wellness exam, you should bring the following:

• Insurance cards
• Medical record
• Family history
• A list of all your health care providers
• A list of all medications/supplements you take
• Any questions/concerns you have

Attending your Medicare annual wellness visit is the most effective way to alleviate future health concerns while under Medicare. By attending this yearly visit, you are being proactive with your health and utilizing Medicare benefits to rule out any concerns that may become a major issue in the future.

During your Medicare annual wellness exam, you can expect to receive appropriate screenings, vaccines, a routine checkup, review your family medical history, and more. The purpose of this visit is to examine your health in its entirety and rule out any future health concerns.

What Major Health Concerns Can Medicare Help Prevent?

Utilizing Medicare’s preventive services program during your annual wellness visit can help reduce your risk for several health conditions. These include:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Breast cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Cervical cancer
• Colon cancer
• Diabetes
• Glaucoma
• Lung cancer
• Obesity
• Prostate cancer
• Other types of cancer
• And more!

Many major health issues may lay dormant in your body and can only be detected by screenings and exams. Without utilizing your preventive services benefit, you could be unknowingly living with a pre-existing condition. While this may not cause a major issue now, it could become a more significant health concern due to a lack of proper care.

A major benefit to utilizing Medicare preventive services comes from the various cancer screenings at your annual wellness visit. While many cancers are undetectable until they become more significant, your physician will utilize all channels to rule out cancer whenever possible.

How Early Indication Through Medicare Can Lead to Successful Recovery

If you seek treatment at the early signs of a medical issue or even before it becomes a problem, you are more likely to receive a favorable outcome than if you wait. Utilizing Medicare preventive services is one of the many benefits of being on Medicare.

Don’t live through your retirement in fear of a medical concern. Live confidently, knowing you can use Medicare preventive services to care for your health.

Have you utilized your Medicare Annual Wellness Exam? Did you know that this exam was included in your Medicare coverage? Do you plan on utilizing this benefit each year?