Medicare Covers Important Preventive Services

Here is a summary of some of the benefits Medicare covers at least in part. In some cases you might be required to pay a portion of the charges after meeting your annual deductible.

Bone Mass Measurements: Loss of bone mass can make you susceptible to osteoporosis and painful, sometimes disabling fractures. Medicare covers part of the cost of bone density screening tests for people at risk. These tests scan the heel, the wrists, the spine, or even the whole body to find weakened points or hairline fractures that might otherwise be undetectable.

Colorectal Cancer Screening: Colorectal cancer – cancer of the colon or rectum – is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Screening tests can find polyps, tiny growths that can become cancerous. Removing polyps early can prevent cancer. Screening tests also can find colorectal cancer early, when there may not be any symptoms and when treatment can be most effective.

Medicare covers an annual fecal occult blood test and a sigmoidoscopy once every two years. If you are at high risk for colorectal cancer, Medicare covers a colonoscopy every 24 months. If you are not at high risk, Medicare covers a colonoscopy every 10 years. And if your doctor decides to use a barium enema instead of a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, Medicare also covers that procedure.

Diabetes Services: Nearly 1 of 5 people over the age of 65 has diabetes, putting them at higher risk for stroke, blindness, kidney disease and lower-limb amputations. These adverse consequences can be decreased with good diabetic management. Medicare covers both insulin users and non-users, as well as those whose doctor or other provider determines are at risk for complications from diabetes. Glucose monitors, test strips and lancets are covered, as is diabetes self-management training.

Glaucoma Screening: Glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness, affects about 3 million Americans, half of whom don't know they have this eye disease. Starting Jan. 1, 2002, Medicare pays for annual glaucoma screening for people at high risk. The new benefit defines high risk Medicare beneficiaries as those with diabetes, those with a family history of glaucoma and African Americans 50 and older.

Mammograms: Breast cancer, like most cancers, is most effectively treated when caught early. Despite recent debate, mammography remains the best available tool for detecting breast cancer. Studies have consistently shown a decrease in mortality of about one-third among women over 50 who regularly undergo screening mammography. Medicare covers this examination for breast cancer once a year. It also covers new digital technologies for mammogram screenings. All women 40 and older with Medicare coverage are eligible. If you are between 35 and 39, you can also have one baseline mammogram.

Pap Smear and Pelvic Examination: Most cervical cancers can be caught early with regular screening. However, the early stages of cervical cancer have no detectable symptoms, which is why a Pap smear that checks for changes in the cells of your cervix can help find cancer at an early stage. A Pap smear and pelvic exam with a clinical breast exam are covered by Medicare once every two years. If you are a woman of childbearing age and have had an abnormal Pap smear within the preceding 36 months, or you are at high risk for cervical or vaginal cancer, Medicare will cover a Pap smear and pelvic exam every 12 months.

Prostate Cancer Screening: Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer, other than skin cancer, among men in the United States; it is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer-related death among men. Many physicians recommend an annual digital rectal examination and a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) screening test. All men age 50 and older with Medicare qualify for these annual tests.

Vaccinations: Flu and pneumonia infections can be life-threatening for elderly people. Health professionals recommend that all adults age 65 and older receive a flu vaccination every fall. Medicare covers these annual flu shots. Also covered is a pneumococcal pneumonia shot; for many people one shot confers lifetime coverage. Those at high risk for hepatitis, such as those with end-stage renal disease or hemophilia, should be vaccinated against hepatitis B, which Medicare covers.

Medicare Eligibility
In general, Medicare is available for Americans age 65 or older. Younger people with disabilities and people with end-stage renal disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant) may also be eligible.

Medicare has two parts, Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medicare Insurance). You are eligible for premium-free Part A if you are 65 or older and you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.

Although most people do not have to pay a premium for Part A, everyone must pay for Part B if they want it. The monthly Part B premium for 2002 is $54. This monthly premium is deducted from your Social Security, Railroad Retirement or Civil Service Retirement check.

Protecting Your Future
Aging is inevitable, but serious illness and disease don’t have to be part of the picture. A healthy lifestyle – one that includes regular exercise, good food, and taking advantage of the preventive services available to you – will go a long way toward keeping you the image of health.