Medicare Preventive Services
Obesity Screening and Counseling
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.
Obesity
Obesity is normally determined by figuring out a person’s body mass index (BMI) by using a formula that includes the person’s height and weight. For an adult, a value of 25 or more falls in the overweight category, while a value of 30 or more is considered obese.
Obesity can be caused by a number of factors including the typical modern diet, which contains many more calories than the typical American diet of a generation or two ago. Sedentary lifestyles also contribute to obesity.
There are links between obesity and various ailments including heart disease, stoke, and certain types of cancer. Obesity is also a major factor in development of Type 2 diabetes. Obesity can also contribute to the development of serious and minor ailments too many to list here.
Obesity Screening and Counseling
If you have a body mass index of 30 or more, Medicare covers intensive counseling to help you lose weight. This counseling may be covered if you get it in a primary care setting where counseling can be coordinated with a comprehensive prevention plan.
Counseling will help you make healthy lifestyle choices to overcome obesity. It may not make you skinny, but it doesn’t have to. Even if you set a modest goal of losing five to ten percent of your body weight, you can greatly reduce the risk of developing many of the conditions associated with obesity.
Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B), 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!