Most people interact with the health care system to improve their overall quality of life. If you're already injured or sick, your quality of life is already decreased. Many illnesses, like colon cancer, do not notify the body with symptoms until the illness is very serious and much more difficult to cure. One of the best ways to stay healthy is to lead a healthy lifestyle. Preventive services can help with that. Preventive services are designed to avoid and detect health problems. Some examples include annual health checkups, wellness screenings and immunizations. Immunizations and flu shots can stop illnesses before they have a chance to start. One trip to the doctor can avoid many more down the road. Health screenings and wellness exams are crucial to discovering problems. Finding them early before they have a chance to get worse means they’ll be easier and cheaper to treat. The best thing about preventive services is that they're often free! Don’t worry about a copay, coinsurance or deductible, as long as the doctor is in network and the visit is just about preventive care. Out-of-pocket expenses may occur if:
- A patient receives other services during the same visit that are not preventive
- The services are used to treat, diagnose or monitor an illness, injury or health problem
Not sure which services are preventive? Here's what you need to know about preventive services. For more health insurance tips visit bcbsm.com/101 or follow the hashtag #Covered101 on our social channels. If you have a specific question, please submit your query online through our Customer Action Center. Photo Credit: WFIU Public Radio
