Play smart offense with preventive care

Preventive care plays an important role in your employees overall health and well-being. However, seeking preventive care during the coronavirus pandemic may look different than it has before. Encourage your employees to contact their provider or visit their website before attending appointments to learn about special procedures that might be in place.

One key to maintaining good health: Not waiting until you're already sick to go to the doctor. Seeking out regular check-ups to check in with your health — called preventive care — can even lead to earlier, more effective treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 100,000 lives would be saved annually if everyone received their recommended preventive care External Site. With a stat like that, it's no wonder playing offense can make a huge difference for an employee's health, well-being and overall engagement.

Plus, depending on their age and your benefit design, much of what's considered preventive care is covered without any cost to your employees.

A winning preventive care game plan is easy as 1, 2, 3. (Psst: With credit, you may post any of these articles to your organization's intranet site.)

1. Connect with a personal doctor.

Having a relationship with a personal doctor can transform health care into care personalized for your employees and their families. This doctor becomes their "health home" and their go-to person for non-emergent health needs.

• Choose a personal doctor in five easy steps Opens in a new window. A positive relationship with a personal doctor is associated with greater satisfaction, better overall health and lower hospital and emergency room use.
• Don't fall into the trap! Understand the 3 excuses men use to avoid the doctor Opens in a new window.

2. Understand age-appropriate screenings and exams.

Going into the doctor for a check-up may not look the same year over year. Depending on age, health history, and health status, recommended tests and screenings (and their frequency) may be updated.

• For a general overview, here's a list of Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield's Affordable Care Act (ACA) preventive services list PDF File.
• Take the guesswork out of preventive care for women Opens in a new window with this decade-by-decade overview of recommended tests and screenings.
• The CDC features a handy widget that presents a list of recommended preventive care External Site after a few simple questions.

Bonus: Download this exclusive poster PDF File to put up in common areas such as break rooms or bathrooms as a helpful reminder to get age-appropriate preventive exams.

3. No excuses.

Preventive care doesn't happen at just one time throughout the year, which makes year-round education important.

• Understand why employee preventive care is important for their health and the health of your business.
• It's only a test Opens in a new window! Don't let anxiety or nerves put off key screenings and exams.
• Use myWellmark Opens in a new window® or BeWell 24/7 Opens in a new window^SM to help determine costs and coverage, find in-network doctors, and more.

Encouraging your employees to take advantage of age-appropriate preventive care — and building a valuable relationship with their personal doctor — is a win-win.

Ready? Break!

Questions? Please reach out to your authorized Wellmark representative or email us at blueatwork@wellmark.com Send Email.

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