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TrueNorth Explains Preventive Care

posted by TrueNorth Employee Benefits on Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Did you know that the United States spends more annually on health care than any other country? However,  is committed to helping you spend less on your own health care, and proper prevention is the best place to start.

Consider These Facts

As the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Consider these statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
• Obesity is reaching monumental proportions; about one-third of adults in America are considered obese.
• Seriously overweight employees spend more days at the doctor and in the hospital each year than healthy individuals, and they are more likely to call in sick to work.
• Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. 
• Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among American women in their forties. Early detection is key to saving lives; when detected at an early stage, the 5-year survival rate is significantly higher than for breast cancer that has progressed to later stages.

Prevention Works When Used

Researchers have estimated that preventable illness makes up approximately 70 percent of the burden of illness and the associated costs. Studies have also shown that when used, the outcomes of wellness benefits prove positive.

For example, getting proper immunizations and health screenings help prevent disease or detect it early, which can help you avoid significant health problems and medical expenses in the future. 

In addition, healthy lifestyle choices like not smoking, exercising regularly and eating nutritiously can improve your overall health and help prevent many future medical conditions. 

Unfortunately, many employees do not take advantage of the valuable preventive services available to them. Many preventive services, such as screenings and immunizations, are available to you free of charge through your health plan. See the following page for a summary of covered services. 

In addition, also see the preventive care recommended guidelines to find recommended screenings, immunizations and counseling services by age group. 

Preventive Care Recommended Guidelines

The following are preventive care recommendations for the various stages and ages of life. These recommendations are based on several findings according to the following organizations: 

• The American Academy of Pediatrics
• The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• Kidshealth.org
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• Immunization Action Coalition
• National Foundation for Infectious Diseases

Basic, Select & Premier Plans Medical Covered Expenses

Preventive Care Recommendations for Children Aged 0 - 18 Years