What’s New for Seniors?

Beginning January 1, 2011, Medicare beneficiaries will no longer have to pay any out-of-pocket costs for most preventive services. In addition, Medicare will cover the cost of an annual wellness visit with your physician. During this visit, you and your doctor will develop a personalized prevention plan that takes a comprehensive approach to improving your health. Specifically, the Medicare wellness visit will cover the following services, free of charge to the patient:

• Routine measurements such as your height, weight, blood pressure, body mass index (or waist circumference, if appropriate)
• Review of your medical and family history, including medications and current care by other health care providers
• A personal risk assessment (including any mental health conditions)
• A review of your functional ability and level of safety, including an assessment of any cognitive impairment and screening for depression
• Setup of a schedule for Medicare’s screening and preventive services for the next five to 10 years
• Any other advice or referral service that may help intervene and treat potential health risks

In addition, the following preventive services that Medicare currently covers will be provided free of charge to the patient:

• Mammograms every 12 months for eligible beneficiaries age 40 and older
• Colorectal cancer screening, including flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy
• Cervical cancer screening, including a Pap smear test and pelvic exam
• Cholesterol and other cardiovascular screenings
• Diabetes screening
• Medical nutrition therapy to help people manage diabetes or kidney disease
• Prostate cancer screening
• An annual flu shot, a vaccination against pneumococcal infection (that may cause pneumonia), and the hepatitis B vaccine
• Bone mass measurement
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening to check for a bulging blood vessel
• HIV screening tests for people who are at increased risk or who ask for the test

Finally, Medicare will also be able to expand coverage of additional preventive services with no charge to the beneficiary as new services, tests, or screenings become available and are recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This will ensure Medicare coverage stays on the cutting edge of preventive care for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities.