Health insurance companies encourage people to seek preventive treatment at regular intervals in order to detect diseases before they become advanced or fatal.
Definition
Preventive treatment consists of an office visit to your family physician, where the physician will perform an examination and a history to gain an impression of your overall health.
Types
Depending on your age, gender and personal and family medical history, different procedures may be considered part of the preventive exam. This can include vaccinations, blood tests, urinalysis, prostate exams, mammograms, pap smears and colonoscopies.
Frequency
Frequency of preventive treatment varies by health insurance carrier, but generally they set their coverage guidelines based on the recommendations made by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
Benefits
Catching a disease in its early stages is often crucial in treating and managing a disease--if not curing it. Preventive treatment allows your physician to gauge your overall health and determine if further testing is needed based on any abnormal findings.
Insurance Companies
All health insurance carriers generally offer some incentive to members for seeking preventive treatment at their recommended intervals, including waiving any co-pay or deductible responsibility. The reason for this is simple: chronic or advanced diseases are more costly to treat. The sooner your physician can diagnose and treat a disease, the less money it will cost your carrier in the long term.
Tags: health insurance, overall health, your overall, your overall health, your physician
