Nine Easy Tips for Your Health and Your Wallet
Many of the lifestyle and health care choices you face can affect your pocketbook.
You may be surprised at how often a wise choice concerning your health—even if it’s going to cost a little extra money in the short term—will pay off in the long run. It’s a lot like car or home maintenance. Invest a little now and save a lot later.
Here are some more tips that, one way or another, are likely to help pad your wallet.
3. Take advantage of Medicare’s preventive care services.
This is a classic example of investing a little now in order to save a lot later. Preventive services can help you save a lot of money and trouble over the long term. They can lead to early detection of health conditions that will greatly increase your chances of heading off any problems before they become serious. In many cases early detection may even save your life.
Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) covers a range of Medicare preventive services. It all starts with your “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit, a comprehensive examination offered during your first year on Medicare. This visit is free to most people enrolled in Medicare.
During the visit you and your doctor or qualified non-physician practitioner will discuss your current health conditions and prescriptions, review your medical and family history, and do tests and screenings to help set the course for your most effective future care. After the visit, you’ll receive a plan or checklist outlining further screenings or preventive services that are recommended for you.
You are eligible for annual “wellness” visits after your “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit. If you did not have a “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit, you are still eligible for annual “wellness” visits.
Each “wellness” visit focuses on developing or updating your personalized plan to prevent disease based on your current health and risk factors.
Under Original Medicare, you pay nothing for your yearly “wellness” visit if your health care provider accepts assignment. Taking advantage of these visits and other Medicare preventive services can go a long way toward keeping you healthy, wealthy, and wise.
4. To take full advantage of Medicare preventive services, investigate Medicare supplement insurance and Medicare Advantage Plans.
Call MedicareMall toll-free at (877) 413- 1556 and we’ll be happy to help you do that.
Although Original Medicare has covered more preventive services over the years, it usually requires a 20% coinsurance for these services. Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) Plans have picked up the slack by requiring no cost-sharing in most cases for Medicare-covered preventive services including mammograms and prostate exams. Medicare Advantage plans also typically cover annual physical exams.
Most Medicare Advantage Plans cover some form of preventive dental care by providing a specified number of examinations, cleanings, or X-rays per year. Most plans also provide vision and hearing exams, which can go a long way in detecting and treating potential problems in the early stages.
Most Medicare supplement (or Medigap) plans cover 100% of any coinsurance charge that applies to preventive care services covered by Medicare Part B, and Medigap Plans E and J offer coverage for preventive care not covered by Medicare. If you’re serious about saving money while taking care of your health, these are options you’ll definitely want to look into.
For more healthcare and money saving tips, click here.
For information about Medicare supplement insurance, Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare prescription drug plans, or any other aspect of Medicare or senior health insurance, contact MedicareMall.com now and we’ll shop the market to find you the very best coverage at the very best price!