Tag Archives: Health Screenings

February is National ‘Wise Health Consumer’ Month

February is National ‘Wise Health Consumer’ Month, sponsored by The American Institute of Preventive Medicine. As healthcare costs continue to rise, and our economy continues to fluctuate, American consumers continue to search for ways to make wise health decisions in order to get the most out of their money. Now, more than ever, it is extremely important to make sure you are making wise decisions when it comes to your healthcare.

Practicing prevention, taking good care of yourself, and managing costs can all get you on the right path toward saving money and becoming a wise health consumer. Being a wise health consumer means exploring your options and taking responsibility for your good health; it means staying involved and informed, and paying attention to the care that you receive.

The healthcare decisions that you make now can have a direct influence on your overall well-being, as well as the quality and cost of your care.

There are several things you can do to become a wise health consumer:

Get appropriate health screenings. Routine preventive care services to maintain your health and prevent disease are important to living a healthy life. Talk with your doctor about your health questions and concerns.

Select your healthcare providers with care. Take your time and carefully select your healthcare providers. Get referrals from your family or friends.

Practice healthy living in your own life. Healthy Living isn’t just an area of focus for our members, but should also be a focus in our own lives as well. Making healthy lifestyle choices can contribute to a long, healthy, and productive life.

For Many With Disabilities, Health Screenings Still Not Covered

for many with disabilities health screenings still not covered

As the health care reform law expands access to preventive services at the doctor’s office, a new analysis finds that many with disabilities who rely on Medicaid might be left out.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most private insurers and plans offered through Medicare and the Medicaid expansion program will be required to cover an array of preventive services ranging from cancer to heart disease screenings. That mandate, however, was not extended to adults who already receive health benefits through state Medicaid programs.

Now a review of Medicaid policies across the country suggests that most state programs do not offer coverage for all of the preventive services currently recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

“The Affordable Care Act guarantees millions of low-income Americans access to mammograms, colonoscopies and other lifesaving preventive services, but that assurance does not extend to people who currently have Medicaid coverage,” said Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, which helped fund the study published in the July issue of the journal Health Affairs.

For the analysis, researchers at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services reviewed Medicaid programs from each state and the District of Columbia from June through November 2012. They then contacted state officials, as needed, to clarify any missing information about coverage.

Access to preventive services varied widely, the study found. Nearly all state Medicaid programs explicitly covered screening mammograms and 36 covered pap smears. Less than half of state programs, however, covered cholesterol or obesity screenings.

Meanwhile, in a dozen states, Medicaid did not cover well-adult exams meaning that beneficiaries were only able to see a doctor once they had a health concern, according to the analysis.