Preventive Care: How to Live a Longer Life
June 06, 2022 | Tags:
Preventive care is like maintenance for your car. Scheduling regular checkups can help identify issues before they become serious. The same goes for your health. Think about it from a different perspective — consistent preventive care can add years to your life.
Preventive care procedures and screenings can have such a large impact on a person’s well-being. So why do so many people let them slip by the wayside? Medical Mutual’s team of doctors share why preventive care is crucial to prolonged health and wellness.
Don’t wait to schedule care
There are many common reasons why people put off scheduling preventive care appointments:
- You forget about preventive care when you feel healthy.
- You feel uncomfortable or anxious when it comes to making an appointment.
- You might have underlying anxiety about what test results could uncover.
- You’re hesitant because of an uncomfortable procedure.
Sometimes postponing preventive care isn’t even a conscious choice. We understand, our lives are busy and things change at a moment’s notice. Something simple, like choosing a primary care provider (PCP) or scheduling an appointment with a current provider, can seem like a daunting task. You decide to push it off until tomorrow but never finish what you set out to accomplish.
While it takes some time out of your day to schedule care, the long-term benefits outweigh the minor inconvenience. Having an appointment on the calendar means you’re prioritizing your health and keeping it on track so you can invest more time on your relationships, hobbies and work.
What preventive care steps should you be taking?
Many people aren’t even aware of which screenings, procedures and vaccinations they should get. To help you, we created a checklist of preventive care milestones. This tool — based on recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and HealthCare.gov — is a resource to help you start your preventive care conversations with your PCP.
Always work with your PCP to determine:
- Which screenings are appropriate for you.
- How often you should have them.
- What your target results should be based on your personal risk factors.
This list is designed for individuals at average risk. For individuals at high risk, screening procedures and intervals may differ. Keep in mind that recommendations change, so keep the conversation going with your PCP about preventive care. Need help finding a PCP? Use our Find a Provider on My Health Plan to find one in your plan’s network or call the Customer Care number listed on your member ID card.