Anthem Preventive Care for OH

Why do we have health insurance? In Ohio, we have health insurance so that if we get sick or have a medical emergency and need to go to the hospital/doctors, we do not need to pay the fees right out of pocket. Would you believe me if I told you that you could limit how much you go to the doctors, not all the way, but at least limit it some? You can! It begins with changing your lifestyle. You can make a choice today to live a healthy lifestyle and by doing so you are decreasing your chances of having to go to the hospital for more serious conditions. A simple way to start is to begin implementing fruits, vegetables, and meats into you diet and taking out unnecessary amounts of pasta, desserts and soda. Also, develop a routine plan for exercise. Schedules can be very busy with families, work and school, but even walking 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week will prove to be very helpful.

In addition to living a healthy lifestyle, research the company you are considering purchasing health insurance through and see if they have preventive care services. Do you live in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, or Toledo Ohio? If you do, then when you purchase health insurance with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, they cover preventive care services such as screenings, immunizations, and exams 100%. By doing this, they reduce the risk of you getting really sick in the future because the precautionary measures are being taken care of right in the beginning. Some people might get a little confused between if the care they are being given is preventive or diagnostic care.

Preventive care is care that the doctors do to prevent something from happening to you in the future. For example, if you are given an immunization for varicella (chicken pox) the doctors are doing this to prevent you from getting chicken pox in the future.

Diagnostic care on the other hand is done when doctors have already detected that you have symptoms of something and they are now looking to diagnose what is causing those symptoms.

Below you will find the lists of both Child Preventive Care and Adult Preventive Care that you can use as guidelines for yourself:
Child Preventive Care (Birth to 18 years)

Preventive physical exams

Screening tests include:
• Vision screening
• Hearing screening
• Oral health assessment
• Screening for lead exposure
• Screening for anemia
• Screening for tuberculosis
• Pelvic exam and pap test , including screening for cervical and ovarian cancare
• Newbo
screenings including sickle cell anemia
• Developmental and behavioral assessments
• Cholesterol and lipid level screening
• Screening for depression
• Screening and counseling for obesity
• Behavioral counseling to promote a healthy diet
• Screening for sexually transmitted infection

Immunizations:
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DtaP)
• Varicella (chicken pox)
• Influenza (flu shot)
• Pneumococcal Conjugate (pneumonia)
• Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
• HIb influenza type b
• Polio
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
• Meningococcal Polysaccharide
• Rotavirus

Adult Preventative Care (19 years and Older):

Preventative physical exams

Screening tests include:
• Eye chart vision screening
• Hearing screening
• Cholesterol and lipid level screening
• Depression screening
• Diabetes screening
• Prostate cancer screenings including digital rectal exam and PSA test.
• Breast exam, breast cancer screening, including mammography
• Pelvic exam and Pap test, including screening for cervical and ovarian cancer.
• Screening for sexually transmitted diseases
• HIV test
• Bone density test to screen for osteoporosis
• Colorectal cancer screening, including fecal occult blood test, barium enema, flexible sigmoidoscopy and screening colonoscopy.
• Routine blood and urine screenings
• Aortic Aneurysm Screening
• Pregnancy screenings (including hepatitis, asymptomatic bacteriurla, RH incompatibility, syphilis, iron deficiency anemia, gonorrhea, Chlamydia.)
• Intervention services to include counseling and education including the following: - Screening and counseling for obesity
- Counseling related to generic testing for breast and ovarian cancer
- Behavioral counseling to promote a healthy diet
- Primary care intervention to promote breastfeeding
- Counseling related to aspirin use for the prevention of cardiovascular disease
- Screening and behavioral counseling related to tobacco use
- Screening and behavioral counseling related to alcohol abuse.

Immunizations:
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, (Td)
• Varicella (chicken pox)
• Influenza (flu shot)
• Pneumococcal Conjugate (pneumonia)
• Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
• Meningococcal Polysaccharide
• Herpes Zoster (shingles)