Having regular check-ups and getting preventive screening tests are important steps that all men can do to keep their health in tip-top shape. Preventive screenings are tests that look for diseases before you have symptoms. Screening tests can provide critical information to help prevent serious medical problems and find diseases early, when they’re easier to treat.
Most preventative screening tests can be done in your primary care doctor’s office. But some preventative screening tests require imaging, like lung cancer screening, and will need to be done in a radiology department.
The following recommendations, in the chart below, are general guidelines for screening procedures for healthy men. Since some men may need screenings at more frequent intervals due to family history or increased risk factors for certain diseases, consult your doctor for personalized advice.
According to www.healthcare.gov, most health plans must cover these preventive screenings at no cost to you because of the Affordable Care Act. This includes private insurance plans. They are covered without charging you a copayment or coinsurance and this is true even if you haven’t met your yearly deductible. But, this applies only when these services are delivered by an in-network provider and there may be guidelines such as if you have increased risk factors as to when the screenings are covered. It is always a good idea to check with your insurance plan to confirm which tests are covered and if you need a referral from your primary care doctor.
To find a doctor or schedule an appointment, visit Steward DoctorFinder™.
