Medicare Preventive Services
Diabetes Screenings
Few things are more important than Preventive Services 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. Especially when it comes to such a serious condition as diabetes, the earlier you know what you’re up against, the better.
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.
Diabetes
Many adults, diagnosed during childhood or early adulthood with Type 1 (juvenile-onset) diabetes, have been dealing with the condition most of their lives. They’ve dealt with the symptoms—thirst and hunger, fatigue, frequent urination, loss of feeling in the feet, and more—and gotten accustomed to the daily injections, careful diet, and frequent monitoring normally associated with treatment of Type 1 diabetes.
Other adults may have no reason to suspect they are at risk for diabetes. They may have no family history of the disease, and they may not even notice personal changes indicating the onset of Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes largely mirror those of Type 1, but often the symptoms develop so gradually that a Type 2 sufferer may barely even notice he or she has developed them. If something develops over many years, it’s almost natural to think it may simply be a normal progression, or part of the aging process. That’s why diabetes screening is so important.
Diabetes Screenings
Medicare will cover up to two Fasting Blood Glucose tests each year if you have one or more of the following risk factors: high blood pressure, a history of abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels (dyslipidemia), obesity, or a history of high blood sugar.
You are also eligible for these tests if you answer can yes to two or more of these questions:
- Are you age 65 or older?
- Are you overweight?
- Do you have a family history of diabetes (among your parents and siblings)?
- Do you have a history of diabetes during pregnancy, or have you delivered a baby weighing more than nine pounds?
Under Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B) you will pay nothing for the tests if your doctor accepts assignment.
Many people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes make lifestyle changes that result in their feeling better and healthier than before they learned they were diabetic or at risk of developing diabetes. Screening and early detection are often the key to making this happen.
Medicare can go a long way toward providing the preventive care you need to maintain your good health—if you have the experience and knowledge to take advantage of it.
Contact MedicareMall now and let us save you money and lead you with confidence through the Medicare maze!