Wellness guide: Ages 76+
When it comes to your health, preventive care includes eating whole, nutritious foods, staying active, limiting alcohol, managing stress, and getting routine checkups.
Think of preventive care appointments like car maintenance. You likely bring your car in regularly for an oil check, tire rotation, and break inspection to catch any issues and help keep your car running smoothly for as long as possible. Preventive care is routine health care that helps you stay on top of your health—and catch things before they become serious.
What is preventive care?
Preventive care includes the services you get as part of your routine well exam. Surest health plans cover eligible preventive care services, which means you’ll pay $0 out of pocket. Preventive care includes:
- Annual physical exam
- Vaccines
- Recommended cancer tests and screenings
- Other health screenings
To find a provider, search ‘primary care provider visit’ in the Surest app to compare copays and choose an in-network provider.
Important information about these guidelines
- These are general health screening guidelines for common preventive tests and services. Talk to your doctor about what is appropriate for you.
- They may not reflect the specific services or all the health screenings you may require based on your individual health risks as recommended by your doctor.
- Scheduling an annual checkup and talking with your doctor will provide the most effective source of information about your health.
General screening
- Assessment of general health and potential health risks through a wellness examination
- Blood pressure screening [add link to heart health guide once published]
- Depression and anxiety screening
- Hepatitis C screening through age 79
- Hepatitis B, syphilis screening if increased risk
- Latent tuberculosis screening if increased risk
- Lung cancer screening through age 80 if increased risk
Lifestyle and safety screening and counseling
- Healthy weight, nutrition, and exercise counseling
- Fall prevention screening and exercise counseling if increased risk
- Safety, including environment and intimate partner violence, screening and counseling
- Sexually transmitted infections screening and counseling
- Tobacco use screening and counseling
- Unhealthy alcohol/drug use screening and counseling
Vaccinations
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Flu (influenza) vaccine every year
- Pneumococcal vaccine
- Tetanus-diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine once, then Td booster every 10 years
- Zoster (shingles) vaccine
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine if increased risk
- Other vaccines your doctor may recommend if you have an increased risk or other conditions
Women’s health
- Osteoporosis screening with bone density test
- Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening if increased risk
- Screen for urinary incontinence
Men’s health
- Routine prostate cancer screening or PSA (prostate specific antigen) testing is not recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Talk with your doctor to see if this screening is for you.
Talk with your doctor about your care
- Make a list of your concerns and any changes in your health
- Ask about anything you’re unsure about
- Take information with you, including prescriptions, medicines, vitamins, herbal remedies, supplements, and names of other health care providers you see
Member Services is here to answer questions and help you navigate preventive care. Call the number on the back of your Surest member ID card for assistance.
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This content is not medical advice. You should always consult with your health care professional.