Why Are Preventive Care Services Important?

Preventive care is an important tool when it comes to maintaining your health and reducing potential health risks. In order to maintain overall health, individuals should be utilizing preventive care services, not only for medical care, but dental and vision as well.

What Is Preventive Care?

Preventive care services are health care services to prevent health problems or illnesses. These services can be in the form of check-ups and screenings. An example of medical preventive care would be an annual wellness check with your primary care provider.

4 Reasons Why Preventive Medical Care Is Important

1. Preventive care can help detect medical conditions early. There are many health conditions that can be prevented with early detection. When providers are able to conduct tests that may relate to the individual’s family history and health needs, they can find possible issues early. Early detection of medical issues can not only make treatment easier, but it also reduces treatment costs.
2. Preventive care could also lower an individual’s health risks. If the doctor finds something abnormal in a screening, like high cholesterol, they are able to create a plan to fix the issue. Utilizing preventive care screenings and check-ups allow for providers to detect medical issues that might have otherwise gone unnoticed.
3. Preventive care has been shown to extend the lifespan of those who maintain regular annual check-ups. Chronic illnesses and certain cancers, if detected early, could be treated or managed.
4. Preventive care could potentially save you money. As stated before, early detection of medical issues can not only make treatment easier, but it also reduces treatment costs. Most health insurance plans also cover certain preventive health care appointments and screenings, at no cost to the insured.

What To Expect at A Medical Preventive Care Appointment?

While preventive care procedures can differ based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the primary care provider, geographic location, and familial history, below is a list of possible preventive care services your provider may include.

• Physical exam
• Reviewing and updating immunizations
• Screenings for heart disease
• Screenings for cancer risk
• Testing for sexually transmitted diseases
• Mental health evaluation
• Substance abuse evaluation

The preventive care services and screenings may differ depending on your family history.

Preventive Dental Care

Preventive care does not only apply to medical related services, but preventive care is also important in regard to dental and vision services.

Preventive dental services typically include routine exams, cleanings, and some x-rays. Under most dental insurances, preventive care appointments are of no cost to the insured. Preventive dental services can reduce the risk of potential tooth decay, developing gum disease and other dental issues. Much like medical preventive care, early detection of dental related issues can not only make treatment easier, but it also reduces treatment costs.

Preventive Vision Care

Preventive vision care typically includes vision testing as well as screenings for vision related issues such as glaucoma. Preventive vision exams can help identify vision issues as well as reduce the risk of issues such as amblyopia (lazy eye). Identifying visual issues early can help correct the issues before they worsen.

Health Insurance Quotes

Preventive care can be important when it comes to maintaining your health and reducing potential health risks. Having the right health, dental and vision coverage in place to take advantage of preventive care is important. Cross Insurance can help you explore your options when it comes to individual or group health insurance. To find out more, contact your local Cross Insurance today.

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This article is for general informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon or used for any particular purpose. Cross Insurance shall not be held responsible in any way for, and specifically disclaims any liability arising out of or in any way connected to, reliance on or use of any of the information contained in this article. The information contained or referenced in this article is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal, insurance, accounting or other professional advice, nor shall it serve as a substitute for the recipient obtaining such advice. The views expressed in this article are that of its author and do not necessarily represent the views of Cross Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Cross Insurance”) or Cross Insurance’s management or shareholders.