This content is sponsored by MOAA Insurance Plans.
As the end of the year winds down, it is a great time to evaluate your current health and make plans for next year. We often are busy taking care of the needs of our children, parents, pets and careers that we often put off taking care of ourselves. It gets easy to push off scheduling time for ourselves, especially when it may involve going to the doctor.
However, scheduling preventive care and health screenings are an important part of our health routine. Screenings can help detect diseases before you have symptoms. A few health screenings to consider are listed below. It’s always important to talk with your healthcare provider about your family health history to determine which other screenings may be relevant for your individual needs.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Men between the ages of 65 and 75 and are a current or previous smoker should talk to your health care team about being screened for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). AAA is a bulging in your abdominal aorta, your largest artery. An AAA may burst, which can cause dangerous bleeding and death. An ultrasound is used to screen for AAA.
High Blood Cholesterol: Have your blood cholesterol checked regularly with a lipid profile. Most people who have high cholesterol don’t have any signs or symptoms. That’s why it’s so important to get your cholesterol checked. High blood cholesterol increases your chance of heart disease.
High Blood Pressure: If you are age 40 or older, or at higher risk for high blood pressure, it is recommended to get your blood pressure checked once a year. Your risk for high blood pressure increases as you get older and it can lead to strokes and heart disease.
Colorectal Cancer Screening: If you're age 45 to 75, get tested regularly for colorectal cancer to help prevent or find it early, when it may be easier to treat. It might be best to get tested before age 45 if colorectal cancer runs in your family. Talk with your doctor and ask about your risk for colorectal cancer and a screening plan that is right for you.
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV): Everyone ages 18 to 79 needs to get tested for hepatitis C at least once. The only way to know for sure if you have hepatitis C is to get a blood test.
Lung Cancer Screening: Talk to your doctor about getting screened for lung cancer if you are between the ages of 50 and 80, have a smoking history (averaging 1 pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years or 2 packs a day for 10 years), are a current smoker or have quit within the past 15 years.
Depression: Your emotional health is as important as your physical health. Talk to your doctor about being screened for depression, especially if you have felt down or sad most days for more than 2 weeks at a time or if you have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things you used to enjoy.
There are few additional screenings recommended for women:
Breast Cancer: Brest cancer screening recommendations generally vary based on family history. Upon reaching age 40 you should talk with your doctor about when to start getting mammograms and how often to get them. If you are age 50-74, it is recommended to get a mammogram every 2 years.
BRCA 1 and 2 Genes: If you have a family member with breast or ovarian cancer, talk with your doctor or nurse about your family history. Women with a strong family history of certain cancers may benefit from genetic counseling and BRCA genetic testing.
Cervical Cancer Screening: Get a Pap smear every 3 years or get a combination Pap smear and human papilloma virus (HPV) test every 5 years until age 65. If you are older than 65 or have had a hysterectomy, talk with your doctor or nurse about whether you still need to be screened.
The preventative care recommendations listed above are based upon information available at Healthcare.gov. Take the time today to determine which preventative screenings you might be needing.
In addition to reviewing your needs for preventative health screenings, it is also important to evaluate your healthcare coverage and the healthcare needs of your family. If you are under age 65 and enrolled in TRICARE, you may want to consider purchasing a TRICARE Supplement to help cover out-of-pocket expenses. MOAA has been endorsing supplements for members for over 50 years. MOAA’s MEDIPLUS® TRICARE Supplement Insurance Program is for members and their families under age 65 and works with your TRICARE coverage to help reduce your out-of-pocket medical expenses. Whether you’re on active duty, in the Guard or Reserves, retired, or looking to switch from a civilian employer plan, MEDIPLUS offers a TRICARE Supplement for you.
For more information about MEDIPLUS, click here or call 1-800-247-2192.