Screen into good health

In 1735, Benjamin Franklin said: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” His message was that it is better to stop something bad from happening than it is to deal with it after it has happened.

Those words hold true centuries later, especially when it comes to maintaining good health.

Preventative health screenings are medical tests that check for disease when no symptoms are present. They allow potential problems to be identified early, when treatment works best.

Some screenings can be done at the request of the patient and may or may not be covered by insurance. Others are considered standard for maintaining good health. These may require a provider order and are usually covered at 100 percent.

Below are some common health screenings:

Colorectal Cancer Screening

Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard test. It can detect precancerous polyps that can be removed before they turn into cancer.

Breast Cancer Screening

Mammograms, which use low-dose X-rays, are the best way to screen for breast cancer.

Bone Density Screening

Low-dose computerized tomography (CT) measures bone mineral density to determine a person’s risk of osteoporosis—a condition that weakens bones and makes them more likely to break.

Prostate Screening

A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam can check for prostate cancer.

Heart Scan

A heart scan, or coronary calcium scan, uses low-dose computerized tomography (CT) to detect calcium deposits in the coronary arteries. A higher coronary calcium score suggests a higher risk of heart attack.

Lung Scan

Low-dose computed tomography (CT)is used to detect lung cancer at a very early stage—when it is more likely to be treated successfully.

Medicare Wellness Visits

The introductory “Welcome to Medicare Visit,” as well as the yearly wellness visits, are covered with no co-pay or deductible, as long as Medicare’s criteria are followed.

For more information about preventative health screenings, visit MyHorizonHealth.org/Screenings.