Why Preventative Health Care Is Important

This post is brought to you by Cigna.

Do you know when your dog or cat is due to get their next set of shots? I do. Zelda just got a round of shots this past Wednesday, and returns for one more set in three weeks. There are a lot of people out there that love their pets and know the answer. In fact, in a recent Cigna survey of 1,000 household decision makers, a whopping 85% knew when their pets would receive their next set of preventative shots.
Of that same group of people, 80% of women with children recalled the birth weight of their oldest child, and 80% of men knew the mileage between their oil changes. Those are some large percentages. They give an idea of the things we place importance on. Of course we consider our children and pets important. And yes we consider our vehicles important too. Cars transport us (including our loved ones) to the places we want or need to be, and for some, are even a type of status symbol.
Here’s another number. 55. Only 55% of the group surveyed know that they should go for an annual health check-up, with the percentage being lower among males. Additionally, only 55% know that annual check-ups cost $0 out-of-pocket with insurance. Surprised by how much lower that is than the numbers I mentioned earlier? There are even lower numbers than that.

• Only 50% of the study participants know their blood pressure.
• 50% expect to pay a co-pay for annual check-up
• Less than 50% know that they can discuss diet and exercise habits as part of their annual check-up
• Only 45% know that vaccinations/immunizations are covered in their annual check-up.
• Only45% know that an annual check-up is covered at 100% for everyone with insurance
• Only 20% know their biometric numbers (HDL, LDL, triglycerides and BMI)
• Less than 20% know that they can get obesity/depression screenings and alcohol/drug use assessment as part of their health check-up

I have a child who has special needs. I have years of experience as a medical biller. I understand that insurance policies aren’t always fun to read, and that many put them aside. But I can promise you that understanding the medical insurance that you have is of utmost importance. Of equal importance is preventative care.

Preventative care is helpful not only in preventing illness, but in identifying and diagnosing it as well. An annual exam can help identify key health indicators that make someone susceptible for conditions that often go undetected and untreated, such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Recently, Cigna released results of a three-year study looking at more than 200,000 individuals that showed how not knowing key biometrics (blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol, etc.) can lead to $1,000’s more in out-of-pocket costs per individual consumer.
Obviously, the data is invaluable to doctors. But, it’s also helpful for us. We, the patients, should know some of this information. My blood pressure has never been higher than 120/80, and for the past few years it’s been quite a bit lower. When I go to a new doctor, which as we all know happens from time to time, by having that type of information I can have an intelligent discussion with the doctor and save lots of time-consuming leg work by knowing my health numbers.
We’re in a new year. Many folks made resolutions or set goals for the year pertaining to health or fitness. More and more we hear of people watching what they eat, going to the gym, doing cross training, martial arts, and playing sports – all great ways to improve your personal fitness and get into better health. So, at a time where many policies allow for an annual check-up at no cost, what good reason is there not to go for that check-up and be better in tune with our health?

When is the last time you went for a check-up?

Go to http://www.cigna.com/takecontrol/ to learn more about why you should go get your annual check-up. You can also keep up with Cigna on Facebook and Twitter.