Get a healthy start to 2023 and schedule your preventive care check-ups.
As we ring in the New Year, one of the best things you can do for your health is to make a plan to schedule preventive care check-ups for you and your family. Preventive care services are intended to help you stay as healthy as possible. Regularly scheduled check-ups can help your doctors detect or prevent serious diseases and medical problems before they can become major. Routine care also can help you stay focused on your own health goals.
Here are some examples of preventive care services and how often you should consider making appointments:
Annual check-up: Depending on your health, you should see your primary care provider (PCP) at least once a year. He or she can help you decide what screenings and shots are right for you, depending on things like family history, age, sex, current health status and more. At your annual check-up, your PCP will check all areas of your health – physical, as well as emotional. Some screening examples included in this check-up might be:
- Blood pressure
- Blood sugar levels
- Cholesterol level
- BMI for discussions about weight
When getting ready for your annual check-up, plan to bring as much information as possible – dates of surgical procedures, names of previous providers and current medications. Also make a list of health questions and concerns, listing the most important ones first.
Cancer screenings: Most people don’t experience cancer symptoms when these diseases are in their earliest, most treatable stages. That’s why screenings are recommended at certain times throughout your life. For example:
- Both men and women should begin colorectal cancer screenings, usually starting at age 50.
- Women should have regular Pap tests to screen for ovarian cancer, as well as begin to have mammograms to screen for breast cancer, usually starting after age 40.
- For men, prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests to screen for prostate cancer might be recommended, usually starting after age 45.
Childhood immunizations: Depending on their ages, immunizations for children include hepatitis A and B, chickenpox, measles and MMR (mumps and rubella), and COVID-19.
Adult immunizations: Depending on ages and health issues, adult immunizations may include Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) boosters, and immunizations against pneumococcal conjugate, shingles and COVID-19.
Annual flu shot: Getting a regular flu shot helps protect you from certain strains of the flu virus. It can help reduce your risk of getting the flu by up to 60%. And if you do happen to get the flu, having the flu vaccine can significantly reduce the chances of serious flu symptoms that could lead to hospitalization.
Because routing check-ups and preventive care services are so important to your health and well-being, most are often covered 100%. Your primary care provider (PCP) can provide many of these services as part of you overall wellness check-up and other screenings and tests can be done at Evernorth Care Group facilities. If you have questions about what’s covered and not covered, or when you should have certain tests done, make sure to ask your doctor.