There's a lot to know about preventive care visits. Take this quiz and find out what's true and what's false. Some answers may surprise you.
The correct answer is True
The purpose of a preventive visit is to look at your overall health, identify risks and provide helpful information to stay healthy. Preventing disease before it starts is important to help you live a longer, healthier life. A preventive check-up can detect early stages of disease, and that’s a good thing. It’s easier to treat health problems when they are identified early.
The correct answer is False
The best time to think about your health is before you get sick. An hour spent at an annual check-up with your doctor can help you stay healthy and identify issues before they become an ongoing or serious medical condition.
At a preventive visit, your doctor will likely assess your health risk by talking with you about:
- Your current health
- Your family health history
- Past illnesses and surgeries
- Risks you may have for specific conditions
- How to maintain a healthy lifestyle
Your doctor will also likely:
- Check your weight, height, temperature, blood pressure and pulse
- Listen to your heart and lungs
- Check your ears, eyes, throat, skin and abdomen
- Recommend preventive vaccines, screenings or tests you may need
The correct answer is False
A preventive care visit is different from an office visit. When making an appointment, request a preventive care visit to talk about your general health. A preventive care visit is covered 100% when you see a doctor in your health plan’s network. An office visit with a doctor to treat or discuss a specific health concern or condition will cost you money.
The correct answer is False
There are no charges for a preventive care visit and standard preventive tests or lab work.
However, if you ask your doctor about a specific medical concern or condition, your clinic may consider it an office visit instead. In this case, your clinic will code and bill the appointment as an office visit. You may be responsible for paying your health plan deductible, copay and/or coinsurance for an office visit.
In some cases, additional tests or lab work your doctor orders for a health condition may cost you extra. If you are concerned about costs, ask your doctor before you get the tests, and call the number on the back of your member I.D. card to check the details of your plan.
The correct answer is False
If you have a health concern, you should schedule an office visit with your primary care doctor to discuss the issue as quickly as possible.
The correct answer is True
Preventive care covers more than the annual visit with your doctor. How often and what kind of preventive care services you need depends on your age, gender, health, family health history, and health plan coverage. Look over the guidelines for men, women and children in our preventive care recommendations (PDF). Your health plan covers various immunizations; screenings for breast, colorectal, cervical and prostate cancer; and blood tests to check such things as cholesterol or blood sugar.
The correct answer is True
Preventive care is covered by our plans, but the services covered can vary from one plan to the next. Talk to customer service if you have questions about your preventive care coverage. Just call the number on the back of your member I.D. card.
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Schedule a preventive care visit with your primary care doctor, or find a doctor near you.