Tag: mammogram

Preventive Care from Medicare

Posted on by Judah

I spent this morning meeting with our Regency corporate team at the beautiful and inviting Regency Grande (truly a center for excellence in post-acute rehabilitation) in Dover, NJ. What a treat!

We discussed many things, including Medicare and how to continue to push for consumer  empowerment.

We are all about educating our patients and families and indeed this very blog is the pristine and quintessential example of this commitment.

Today’s article is no different.

MEDICARE

Medicare is best known for covering sick visits and hospital stays, but it also offers a variety of preventive care services to help recipients avoid getting sick to begin with.

The following services are available — for free — to everyone enrolled in Medicare.

Annual Wellness Visit

Medicare pays for a complete check-up with your healthcare provider every twelve months.

This visit includes receiving information about other healthcare screenings you may be eligible for, based on your condition.

Starting in 2016, the annual wellness visit includes the opportunity to work with your healthcare provider to develop an advance care plan. Advance care planning refers to decisions you make now about what type of care you would want to receive if you were in a situation in which you were unable to communicate your wishes.
There is no additional deductible or co-pay when advance care planning takes place during an Annual Wellness Visit. If the planning takes place at a different visit with your provider, it is subject to Medicare Part B costs.

Cost: FREE, during an Annual Wellness Visit

Colorectal Cancer Screening

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the US. Everyone over the age of 50 is eligible for a colorectal cancer screening every 12 months.

Cost: FREE

EKG Screening

An EKG measures the electrical activity of your heart beat, and is an essential screening tool for detecting heart disease, the leading cause of death in the US. An EKG is covered whenever your healthcare provider considers it necessary.

Cost: FREE

Flu Vaccine

Medicare covers the administration of a flu shot, once a year, during the fall or winter. The flu is particularly dangerous for those over 50. Even though the flu vaccine does not offer absolute protection against getting the flu, if you do get the flu, you are likely to have a more mild case if you have been vaccinated.

Cost: FREE

Pneumonia Vaccine

Unlike the flu shot, which one needs annually, most people only need one pneumonia vaccine. Medicare covers pneumonia vaccines for everyone 65 or older, or as often as your health care provider deems necessary.

Cost: FREE

SCREENINGS FOR WOMEN

Mammogram

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in women. Mammograms, which detect breast cancer, are covered every 12 months for women aged 40 and over. Early detection is the key to successful treatment of breast cancer, and mammograms reveal the disease long before it can be found on exam.

Cost: FREE

Cervical Cancer Screening

Women of all ages are covered for a pelvic exam and Pap test every 24 months (every 12 months if they are at high risk). These tests detect abnormal changes in the cervix, and allow treatment before cancer has a chance to develop.

Cost: FREE

SCREENINGS FOR MEN

Prostate Cancer Screening

Prostate Cancer is the second most common cancer in American men. Medicare covers screening every 12 months for men ages 50 and over. Medicare covers both components of Prostate Cancer screening, the blood test and the physical exam. The physical exam, however, is subject to a co-pay.

COST: Blood test: FREE / Physical exam: Cost is subject to Medicare Part B deductible

Other preventive services are available to Medicare recipients who are at high risk for specific diseases. Speak to your provider to find out what is best for you. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and Medicare is happy to pay for it.

At the Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers, we offer the very best of care in a patient-centered environment. This means always listening to our residents and patients and respecting their capabilities, while helping them to achieve maximum functionality and independence. And always maintaining the highest professional and quality standards in our staff and our facilities. Our 25 years of excellent care have led to us being awarded a Best Nursing Homes award by US News & World Today, a 5-Star rating by USA Today, and an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, among many other awards.

Contact us by clicking here to see which of our three facilities will best meet your needs or the needs of your loved one.

When Was Your Last Mammogram?

Posted on by Judah

Breast cancer is an ongoing health concern for American women. About 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime, and it kills women at a higher rate than any other cancer besides lung cancer.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

One of the main risk factors for breast cancer is age, so we at Regency Nursing are committed to raising awareness of breast cancer among our residents and families.

The current screening recommendation for women with no history of cancer is to receive a mammogram every 1–2 years from the age of 40 or 50 until around 75.

A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast, used to detect early signs of breast cancer. Having an annual mammogram is one of the best ways to find breast cancer early, before it spreads to other areas of the body.

Most private insurances cover annual mammogram screenings, and Medicare offers an annual mammogram at no cost from age 40 and up.

The exact screening recommendations are contested, though. About 10 years ago, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated their recommendation. They now say women don’t need to start receiving mammograms until age 50, and even then they only need one every other year. The American Cancer Society and other advocacy groups disagree, however, and maintain that most women should start at age 40 and undergo the screening annually.

After age 75, the picture is much more fuzzy. That’s because hardly any credible research has been done on breast cancer survival rates on women over that age. USPSTF says the risks of mammogram outweigh the benefits once you reach advanced old age, and they recommend stopping the routine screening after age 75.

However, a 2014 study of elderly women found that mammography resulted in longer life-expectancy and better outcomes for that age group.

So should you get a mammogram this year?

The answer depends on many factors: your age, your general health, whether you have a previous history of breast or other cancers, whether you have a family history of female cancers, and whether you had a mammogram last year.

Ask your doctor to share the most recent breast cancer research with you, and discuss whether annual mammograms are right for you.