Getting preventative healthcare is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy. That means getting regular checkups, shots, screenings, and tests that can protect you from injury or disease. Preventative healthcare can lead to early detection and much more effective treatment if you do happen to get sick.
Here are four reasons preventative healthcare is worth investing in.
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1. Lowers Healthcare Costs
Getting preventive care can help you avoid paying the price for bigger health issues down the line. For example, if you regularly see a primary care physician every six to 12 months, he or she is more likely to catch a problem well before it becomes a life-threatening issue and costs an arm and a leg to treat.
No one wants to end up paying $10,000 for a surgery they could have prevented if they’d just gone to the doctor for regular checkups and exams as recommended. So, do yourself a favor and think about getting a healthcare plan that covers preventative healthcare services. If you’re 65 or older, Medicare Advantage plans come with preventative healthcare services already included, so choosing this type of plan can generally offset healthcare costs.
2. Helps With Early Detection
Preventative health care can help doctors detect the early signs of a disease or disorder and prevent it from getting worse. For example, getting regular checkups can help doctors detect diseases earlier and treat them more effectively. Preventative healthcare services might include things like:
- HIV screening
- Blood pressure screening
- Cholesterol screening
- Immunization vaccines
- Diet counseling
- Anemia screening
- Cervical cancer screening
- Breast cancer mammography and chemoprevention counseling
- Colo-rectal cancer screening for adults over 50
- Developmental screening (for children)
- Vision screening
There are a number of other screenings that doctors can use to catch diseases and disorders early on and protect you from a life-threatening injury or illness that could’ve been prevented.
3. Puts Less Strain On The Healthcare System
It might not seem like it, but preventative healthcare can lighten the load of healthcare workers and the system as a whole, allowing it to run more smoothly and efficiently. It can also make healthcare more affordable in the long run for everyone — not just for a few people here and there.
With fewer people needing complex medical procedures, healthcare professionals are freed up to provide simpler services faster and to more patients. So think about that the next time you want to skip a doctor’s appointment or avoid a screening. While it might be scary, it’s necessary if you don’t want bigger health problems down the line — and the bill that comes with it.
4. You Get Access To Wellness Programs
Wellness programs are another preventative service covered by most insurance companies. Most people aren’t even aware of these types of programs, but wellness programs can help promote health and fitness. Although they can be offered through an employer, plenty of insurance companies also offer them directly to people like you.
Wellness programs offer incentives for achieving certain milestones that help you get one step closer to better health. So if that sounds like something you might want as part of your health insurance plan, consider a health insurance provider that offers perks like wellness programs.
Taking Preventative Healthcare Seriously
Taking preventative care seriously is important if you want to live out your retirement happily and healthily. Getting regular checkups, exams, screenings, and shots can help doctors detect diseases earlier and treat them earlier and much more effectively. So find a plan that offers preventative healthcare coverage so you can start reaping the health benefits.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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