MEN: Take Care of Yourself to Take Care of Others
Guys, in the spirit of Men’s Health Month, what are you willing to do to protect your own good health? After all, taking care of yourself means the ones you love can depend on you to be there for them.
Studies show that men are half as likely as women to get preventive health screenings that can help find health concerns early, when they’re easier to treat.
Yet men have a higher risk than women for Parkinson’s disease, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, aortic aneurysm, and kidney stones...and early detection of these conditions can mean the difference between life and death.
A yearly checkup will ensure you get the six basic tests that can help you maintain your good health now and reduce future health risks:
- Blood pressure: Get screened every year.
- Cholesterol: Get checked starting at age 20, then regularly beginning around age 35.
- Diabetes: Begin screening at age 45, earlier if you are at a higher risk.
- Skin cancer: Get regular screenings and have anything suspicious examined right away.
- Prostate screenings: Begin at age 50, earlier if you are at a higher risk.
- Colon cancer screenings: Begin at age 45, earlier if you are at a higher risk.
Simply schedule an annual checkup and your doctor will make sure you get the preventive care that is right for you. (And there’s no cost to you: ACA-recommended in-network preventive care is 100% covered by your Health Plan.)
Resources:
- Kaiser Permanente: Men's Health and Well-Being
- Providence: Early Detection Can Make All the Difference
- VSP (Providence Medical Plan participants): Annual Eye Exams | Men Detect Early Signs of Serious Diseases | VSP
STOP THE PAIN: National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month
Migraines are not just bad headaches. They are a disabling disease that affects 39 million people in the U.S. In other words, there’s a migraine-sufferer in 1 out of 4 households in America.
A migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It's often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours to days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with daily activities.
Although there is no cure for migraine, the right medicines, combined with self-help remedies and lifestyle changes, can help. In recent years, several new preventive treatments have been FDA-approved.
Fewer than 5% of people with migraines have been seen by a health care provider, received an accurate diagnosis, and obtained appropriate care. If you aren’t yet treating your migraine symptoms, we urge you to find an in-network neurologist or headache specialist. Your Health Plan covers this care just like any other health condition.
Resources:
- Kaiser Permanente: Migraine Headaches
- Providence: Providence Headache Center
BENEFIT TERMS TO KNOW: Our Video Library Helps You Understand
When you know the lingo, you have the knowledge to make the most of your benefits and get the services and care you need for the lowest out-of-pocket costs. Watch our short videos to help you navigate your way through the fundamentals of health care.
- What’s a “PCP?” Establish your health care with a regular, go-to provider for better health outcomes.
- What’s an “Annual Checkup?” 20 minutes once a year can help you stay healthy.
- What’s an “In-Network Provider?” You save when you choose providers, clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and labs in your network.
- What's the “Deductible?” Find out when you need to pay it ... and when you don’t.
- What's the “Out-of-Pocket Maximum?” When you reach it, your Plan pays 100% of covered services.
- What’s “Balance Billing?” Learn five ways to prevent surprise medical bills.