Preventative Care That’s Often Covered By Your Insurance Company

Preventative care is the service provided by your health insurance company to cover basic check-ups and screenings to help prevent or minimize the risk of serious health conditions. Different insurance companies cover different things depending on your plan, but there is common coverage among plans.

Here’s a list of some of the preventative care services that are covered by most insurance companies. Be sure to check with your own insurance provider and your doctor first before you participate in these check-ups, so you don’t incur unforeseen costs.

Cancer screenings

Health insurance companies will cover most cancer screenings, but your coverage will decide how often you can do those screenings. Breast cancer screenings and cervical cancer screenings are usually performed by gynecologists for specific women’s care. Similarly, men after a certain age are screened regularly for prostate cancer.

Both sexes are covered by insurance companies to participate in skin cancer screenings, colorectal cancer screening, and other cancer screenings. Regular screenings make sure doctors catch the first signs of cancer so that it does not progress without being treated. Find out how often you can get these preventative screenings so that you stay updated on your health. Just remember that they’re vital for the early detection of cancer, so it’s worth your time to follow up with your providers.

Women’s Care

Women’s healthcare provides more routine screening than men, for both pre-conception care and prenatal care. These check-ups are covered by insurance at least once a year unless more testings or follow-up care is necessary for preventative care. A yearly pap-smear is covered by insurance, as well as yearly mammograms for women over a certain age.

Counseling

Many counseling services are covered as preventative care because they help people after they’ve received a difficult test result like a positive STD test result or a positive test result from a cancer screening. Counselors in these fields are trained to help individuals and families affected by their loved ones’ health conditions based on their specific conditions.

Counseling is also often covered by health insurance companies for someone trying to quit using tobacco.

STD Testing

Many yearly STD tests are covered as preventative care through your insurance. Depending on your insurance carrier, the accompanying laboratory tests needed for your blood samples will often be covered by insurance as well. Yearly STD tests include HIV/AIDs testing, herpes, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV (for women), and trichomoniasis.

Immunizations

For children, adolescents, and adults different immunizations are suggested to prevent illnesses. Ask your doctor which immunizations are recommended for you or your family members, and then check with your insurance to see if they are covered.

Diet Check-Up or Physical

Other preventative care measures covered by health insurance includes diet suggestion or diabetes screening. The doctor could want to do physical tests as well, for heart disease prevention or other conditions resulting from an inactive or unhealthy lifestyle.

It’s incredibly important for people to pursue regular screenings, tests, and check-ups with their primary or specialty doctors. Don’t worry about incurring costs for yearly cancer or STD screenings, as most health insurance companies cover the costs. It’s better to be informed and treating your health condition than live in ignorant bliss and let your health deteriorate. Health insurance companies know this, and they want their clients to stay healthy.