Even if You’re Healthy, Don’t Skip Routine Screenings

It’s not uncommon to want to avoid going to the doctor. Each year, millions of Americans—for a wide variety of reasons—forego the advice of the wider medical community and skip out on having a routine checkup with their primary care physician. For some people, they say they just can’t find the time to schedule an appointment. For others, they might be afraid that the doctor will suggest they make some lifestyle changes or dietary changes. Still, others stay away for fear of hearing bad news. The reasons are about as unique as the people behind them.

But there is one specific excuse and common myth we’d like to dispel today—that going to the doctor for routine checkups and screening will cost too much. Now, it is important to point out that, because everyone has a different financial situation, we’re not here to put a dollar amount on what you may consider to be “too much” for a doctor visit, but we would like to encourage you to at least get the information on your plan and find out about your entitlements.

Many Wisconsinites, for example, don’t realize that the Affordable Care Act now requires all insurance plans to cover one “well check” per year. This check can also include all common labs and blood work for preventative screening purposes. If you have insurance—whether through an employer or through the Healthcare Marketplace, you can receive this checkup with zero out-of-pocket cost to you.

Another thing that many older Americans don’t realize is that several routine screenings are covered as a part of Medicare. These may include routine colon/rectal exams for men and mammograms for women over a certain age. In some cases, some screenings are not completely free to you, but are heavily subsidized to minimize your out-of-pocket costs.

If you live in southeastern Wisconsin and have questions about Medicare, supplemental coverage, and what kind of healthcare plan setup will best work for you, please give us a call at Milz Health Group today and stay up to date with those screenings and checkups that are so important!