New Medicare Preventive Benefits to Promote Healthier Seniors
Posted on 12/17/2004
by Rodger W. Wetzel, MPA/MHA, LSW, Director
Community Health, Development and Eldercare
America’s seniors will soon have new benefits that will help them live healthier lives due to a Medicare effort to promote more preventive health care. Medicare will broaden the emphasis on prevention and early detection, including the areas of diabetes,
elevated cholesterol levels and cancer.
Medicare recently mailed an updated Medicare and You handbook that emphasizes Medicare’s new prevention-oriented focus. There also is a special Medicare booklet Guide to Medicare’s Preventive Services that seniors can request from Medicare. Both booklets are available by calling Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare’s new benefits include the brief “Welcome to Medicare” physical exam, and screenings for heart disease and diabetes. The exam (for new enrollees only) includes providing education and
counseling about the preventive services that may be needed. Medicare will continue coverage for screening for weak bones (osteoporosis), glaucoma, and cancers of the colon, breast, cervix and prostate.
These services could save many lives and medical expenses for preventable complications of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, weak bones, high blood pressure, smoking, inactive lifestyles and other illnesses and unhealthy lifestyles.
It is important that seniors ask their doctor or their doctor’s nurse about which of the new preventive services they will be eligible for. Seniors also should ask their doctor or clinic business office about their Medicare deductibles, co-payments and actual out-of-pocket costs for any of these new preventive services or any other Medicare-approved services. Just because services are “covered” by Medicare does not mean every senior may be eligible for the services or won’t have to pay some of the cost of the services.
What also is important is that seniors make a personal commitment to be as healthy as possible by including healthy food choices and getting regular exercise, in addition to using these Medicare preventive services. This would be a good New Year’s resolution for 2005!