More preventative measures made available by Medicare

More preventative measures made available by Medicare
EDITOR:
I am writing this letter to my fellow residents of the Mahoning Valley to remind them that as our health care is shifting more focus from disease treatment to prevention and wellness efforts, the members of our community should take notice and advantage of these changes. These changes are monumental and much needed.
Medicare is a vital program to America and to Ohioans, and it is important that you note the new changes and programs available to you. Over the past several years, a significant increase in patients with multiple chronic diseases have been the focus of a substantial rise in Medicare costs. In fact, roughly 90 percent of the country's health budget has gone toward taking care of the sick, leaving only five percent to cover what I consider as important: prevention and wellness initiatives.
New Medicare programs are providing seniors with many more options to reverse this cycle of spending. For some reason however, the program has been politicized and thus many people are missing out on significant changes to their medial services.
As a result, Medicare has developed an educational campaign designed to raise awareness of more than one dozen preventative services covered by the agency. These important services available through Medicare include a one time "Welcome to Medicare" physical exam, cardiovascular screening to check cholesterol and other blood fat levels, cancer tests (including breast, cervical, vaginal, colon and prostate screenings, shots including flu, pneumococcal and hepatitis B), bone mass measurements to determine risks for fractures and osteoporosis, diabetes screenings as well as supplies and glaucoma tests to screen for eye diseases -- all incredible services that once were previously not available through Medicare.
While the open enrollment period for Medicare 2007 was from November 15 through December 31, it remains open to those who are interested. It is important to get this message out and to get people thinking about prevention and wellness. This is especially true for those ages 65 and older -- a group among the least likely to use preventative services and among the most likely to develop chronic disease.
Please spread the word with your family and friends. It is time to re-examine Medicare plan options and start utilizing more of the available pro-active services that are available. A great resource for Medicare plan and preventative services information is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site: www.medicare.gov/Health/Overview.asp.
Information can also be obtained via phone at 1-800-Medicare.
Medicare prevention and wellness efforts are designed to improve our quality of life, and they will if we take full advantage of the offerings. Also I encourage those who do not have adequate funding for medications to take advantage of the Medicare drug program and reduced cost drug programs offered by our pharmaceutical corporations as well as certain corporate pharmacies, which even offer generics at a reduced price where appropriate and available. Please take advantage so that we can maintain a healthy Mahoning Valley.
DAVID A. HOFFMAN, D.O.
Youngstown
The writer is an associate professor of internal medicine in the Department Of Cardiology at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College Of Medicine.