Medicare Preventive Services

Smoking Cessation

Few things are more important than preventive care when it comes to maintaining your health. Regular checkups and diagnostic procedures are the key to detecting many health concerns in their earliest stages, when the prognosis and chances for a full recovery are best. Knowing early what you’re dealing with can make all the difference when you and your doctor or practitioner decide what course of action you should take. Dealing with a problem early usually means you have several viable options to choose from and an excellent chance of success. Early detection is likely to help your pocketbook as well. Not only can preventive care save your life, it can save you thousands of dollars.

Smoking

The dangers of smoking are common knowledge and too many to list here. Nearly every smoker, hopeful of putting an end to this habit that too often costs good health, years of life, and thousands of dollars, tries at one time or another to quit smoking. Many smokers try unsuccessfully to quit more times than they can count before giving up the battle. Quitting smoking isn’t simply a matter of character. Addictions can be powerful, often requiring medical and other professional help to overcome. No wonder smoking is responsible for one in every 10 adult deaths worldwide.

Smoking Cessation Services

If you’re on Medicare and use tobacco, now is the time to quit.

If you’re a Medicare recipient who uses tobacco, you’re eligible for up to eight Medicare-covered visits with a doctor or other Medicare-recognized practitioner qualified to provide counseling services to help you stop smoking.

Under Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B), you will pay nothing for these counseling sessions if your doctor or practitioner accepts assignment.

If you’ve already been diagnosed with an illness caused or made worse by tobacco use or you take a medicine affected by tobacco, you can continue to get up to eight Medicare-covered face-to-face counseling visits every 12 months. For these sessions you will pay your Part B deductible and 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. If you get counseling in a hospital outpatient setting, you will also have a co-payment.

It’s never too late to quit smoking – or to start enjoying all the benefits of a smoke-free life. Let Medicare’s preventive smoking cessation services help you put an end to your tobacco dependency.

Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Medicare Supplement Plans can all go a long way toward providing the preventive care you need to maintain your good health. If you have further questions about Medicare preventive services or any other aspect of Medicare, contact MedicareMall now and let us lead you with confidence through the Medicare maze!