Many forms of health coverage, offer benefits for “wellness” and “preventive care”, which can help you to better take advantage of what is available to you in order to achieve greater health.
Among the benefits of preventive coverage is that there are no co-payments, deductibles, or co-insurance payments that must be made by the policyholder, as is the case when the condition is already diagnosed and treatment must be covered. This type of benefit is seen in insurance plans either because they are required by state or federal regulations, or because it is a part of the plan being offered by the insurer.
For the majority of medical conditions and illnesses, the goal is to achieve the earliest possible detection, as it will allow for treatment to begin sooner, ensuring a higher possibility of a successful recovery and, as such, will cost less to insurance companies who cover these treatments. After all, many conditions can be treated with lifestyle changes, dietary alterations, or very minimal medical treatments if they are caught early enough. Therefore, preventive care can be highly beneficial to everyone.
Preventive care can include such actions as visiting with a primary care physician for a physical, or taking tests such as a colonoscopy, PAP test, PSA test, mammogram, or even immunizations. Many plans that cover preventive care will cover the cost of lab tests that are considered to be a preventive effort, where they would not cover an exam of another nature.
It should be noted that different types of plans cover in different ways. For example, while the standard plan that covers preventive tests will pay the doctor or clinic, supplementary forms of coverage, such as cancer insurance, will pay you directly. This means that you will receive the payment yourself, just for getting your preventive tests.
