The Many Benefits of Preventative Care

The adage “prevention is better than cure” remains true today. It’s far better to avoid an accident than to fix a car. The same goes for your body. Each medical problem you have affects its efficiency and ability to perform. Preventing those medical maladies is in your best interest and allows you to live a happy, healthy life. That’s why a lot of long-term private health insurance plans offer preventative care options.

It makes sense from an insurance prover’s perspective as well. If clients have preventative care as part of their coverage, they’re less likely to contract debilitating illnesses. This avoidance of long-term conditions means the insurance company will end up paying less in the long term for their clients. In this article, we’ll look at the benefits that preventative care offers to clients and what typical health insurance plans cover in preventive medicine.

What is Preventative Care Exactly?

Preventative care is any medical care that deals with detecting pr preventing severe medical problems. It may become apparent immediately that some of your unconscious medical decisions revolve around preventative care. Annual checkups, flu shots and immunizations, and a whole slew of tests and procedures are covered under most medical plans preventative care options. The most common things that you, as an individual, can do to maintain your health may be covered under preventative health.

What Preventative Care Options Do I Have?

While it’s in the best interest of clients to have preventative care, only a few medical insurance plans make it common knowledge about the insurance company’s preventive care options. Some of the more common coverage options for preventative care include:

• Immunizations: These aren’t just for when you’re a kid, but are useful throughout your entire life. Your health plan may cover vaccination for common illnesses such as chickenpox, Diphtheria, tetanus, etc. Additionally, you might be entitled to get the seasonal flu vaccine when it comes out. Your individual plan will have details on how you can access these vaccines and how much you will need to contribute towards the cost. The contribution amount may vary by the level of your plan.
• Cancer Screenings: nothing is scarier than contemplating cancer, but knowing you have it early is vital in turning the tide. Screenings remain the most potent weapon medical science has against cancer. Preventative cancer screenings include (but aren’t limited to) cervical screening, breast cancer screening, colorectal cancer screening, and even lung-cancer screening in select cases. Your plan will have the details of whether you’re eligible for these scans or not.
• Mental Health Screenings: Mental health has become a significant concern in the modern age. Medical insurance companies provide their clients with options to get screened for typical mental illnesses, including anxiety and depression. These screenings can be instrumental in helping individuals cope with their daily lives and guiding to be a contributing member of society.
• Autism Screenings: For kids, many medical plans offer screenings for autism. According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, kids should be screened at their 18-month and 24-month visits for autism. Catching this issue early is critical in helping kids cope with the condition and learn how to deal with it throughout their lives.
• Pregnancy Support: Women who are pregnant or are considering becoming pregnant are supported by their medical health providers. Support and counseling for breastfeeding mothers as well as screenings for anemia and gestational diabetes are typically covered. Women also have the option of getting folic acid supplements for clients who may become pregnant are also part of the coverage plans.

What Benefits Does Preventative Care Offer?

Preventative care usually comes at no extra cost to you. Many modern health care plans include the cost of preventive care in their premiums. However, an essential benefit that preventative care can offer us is the early detection of chronic or life-threatening diseases. While it’s possible to deal with illnesses when they present themselves, the earlier you find out you have the disease, the better your prognosis. Additionally, preventative care can help you to feel healthy for longer. Aligning them with your personal health goals helps you maintain your health and well-being for more extended periods.

Is There a Difference Between Preventative Care and Diagnostic Care?

Diagnostic care is when your provider things something is wrong and wants you to get checked out. Preventative care is a general catch-all visit that a doctor may or may not notice something that needs to be checked out. Typically, you’d have diagnostic care checkups being a referral from a regular preventative care visit. While these perform similar functions, they are quite different in their uses. It’s important to note that the follow-up diagnostic check may not be covered under your current medical healthcare plan.

Is Preventative Care a Requirement of an ACA Health Plan?

When the US government signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law, it made specific provisions for preventative medicine being part of any ACA-approved healthcare plan. Research that suggested that investment in preventative care could reduce the overall cost of care was behind this legislation’s development. The ACA also states that some preventive care needs to be covered by insurers 100%, and you don’t need to pay a deductible or copay/coinsurance to access these services.

To promote enrollment under the ACA, taxes were levied on Americans for not having a health care plan. In December 2017, the government rescinded this tax by signing into law of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act. While the tax for not having health insurance is no longer active, having proper health insurance is necessary to meet the unforeseen medical care demands.

Customizing Your Options

What sort of preventative care would you like to take advantage of with your health insurance plan? With so many providers choosing one can be overwhelming. That’s why My Private Health Insurance offers you a simple way to compare different coverage plans. Visit our website today, and take advantage of our in-depth search functionality to find and compare options to locate one tailored to what you need.