Preventive Care
Posted on: July 23, 2014Categories: LiveWell 24/7
Did you know that 7 out of 10 Americans die every year from chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer? In fact, in the year 2010 seven out of the top 10 leading causes of death in American were chronic diseases. The top two, heart disease and cancer, accounted for almost half of all deaths alone. So it is pretty evident that chronic disease has become quite common around our lives. But did you know that it is also preventable?
That’s right! Chronic disease can be prevented or prolonged by taking steps before being diagnosed. This type of health care is called preventive care. Preventive care shifts the focus from treating diseases to preventing them all together. When you prevent diseases and illness before the onset of symptoms it allows you to maintain better health and wellness.
How does preventive care work? There are many ways to take charge using preventive care. Basic things include leading a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet and other lifestyle habits such as these. There are also prevention methods you can use through health care services. For example, physical exams, screenings, laboratory tests, counseling and immunizations all are preventive care measures you can take.
What are the benefits of preventive care? By getting screenings and tests done it becomes much easier to catch a disease before it starts. When you catch a disease before the onset of symptoms it helps you stay healthier or recover more quickly. Another major advantage to preventive care is the cost. First, it costs much less money paying for preventive care, such as screenings, than it does to pay for the cost of a chronic disease or serious illness. In addition, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) now includes several preventive care services meaning that for many different services the patient will not have to pay a deductible, co-pay, coinsurance, or other out-of-pocket expenses.
Overall, preventive care is a great way to maintain wellness and a healthy lifestyle. It provides different benefits such as low medical expenses, delaying or preventing the onset of disease and now some services are even included in full by insurance. It’s a great initiative if you are looking to stay healthier and improve your lifestyle!
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