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Regular visits to your healthcare providers for primary and preventative care can play a key role in keeping yourself healthy. Yet according to data in a new study from Synchrony Health & Wellness, more than 1 in 4 Americans has delayed or ignored recommended medical procedures due to cost, with 46% reporting that postponing medical care led to additional health issues.1
Preventive healthcare isn't just about avoiding diseases — it's about optimizing your health and welfare with a holistic approach to making informed choices for your physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Read on for more about how preventive healthcare can support your approach to your health, improve health outcomes and potentially lower your overall healthcare costs.
What Is Preventive Healthcare?
Preventive healthcare is a proactive approach that aims to screen and detect health issues in adults and children early when they're most treatable, increase positive outcomes when it comes to disease and disability and promote overall well-being. Annual check-ups with a primary care provider can help you establish a baseline for your health and identify potential risk factors based on your medical history, lifestyle, and family history. Routine preventive care is a key factor in living a longer, healthier life.
“Today, many view health as a personalized wellness journey. It's about comprehensively caring for the whole person — body, mind and soul — over time, long-term," says Erin Gadhavi, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Wellness at Synchrony.
Preventive healthcare can encompass a range of measures, including regular checkups and screenings, vaccinations, disease assessment and counseling and education.
Preventive Care Screenings, Tests and Services for Adults
“The importance of preventive health cannot be understated," says Gadhavi. “At each stage of life, there are preventive healthcare steps people should follow to detect, address and prevent serious health problems that pose a risk to their lives and well-being."
Most health insurance plans, including private health insurance plans and plans purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace, must cover certain preventive services with no copayments. Health plans purchased through Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) must also cover certain types of preventive care with no cost to you.
Preventive services that are commonly covered by most health insurance plans include access to blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol tests, as well as cancer screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies. Healthy pregnancy counseling and well-baby visits are usually covered, as well as routine vaccinations. Depression screenings and counseling on topics that include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol use, losing weight and healthy eating are typically covered as well.
| Preventive care service | Who should get one? (Based on your medical, lifestyle and family history) | How often? (*Determined by your healthcare provider) |
|---|---|---|
| Blood pressure screening | Adults 18+ (may start younger based on risk factors) | Annually or more frequently* |
| Blood sugar screening | Adults 35+ (may start younger based on risk factors) | Every three years* |
| Cholesterol screening | Starting at age 35 for men, 45 for women (may start younger based on risk factors) | Every five years* |
| Depression screening | Children, teens and adults | Consult with a medical professional if you or someone in your family exhibits persistent symptoms of depression |
| Colon cancer screening | Adults 45+ (may start younger based on risk factors) | Every 10 years* |
| Breast cancer screening | Women starting at age 40 or younger if a family history of breast cancer exists | Every one to two years* |
| Cervical cancer screening | Women starting at age 21 (may start younger based on risk factors) | Every three years* |
| Genetic testing for breast cancer and other cancers | Women or men with family history of certain types of cancers | As determined by your healthcare provider |
| HIV screening | People who are sexually active, people who want to be tested | As determined by your healthcare provider |
| Sexually transmitted disease screening | Sexually active people | As determined by your healthcare provider |
| Osteoporosis screening | Women and men | As determined by your healthcare provider |
Preventive Healthcare for Children
Preventive healthcare for children is critical to ensure their healthy growth and development and lays the foundation for a lifetime of well-being.
Most insurance plans cover preventive healthcare for children in full, and preventive care under CHIP is always covered.
Some of the preventive care services for children include:
- Well-child checkups. Well-child visits typically happen every few months in the first year or two of your child's life, then annually after that. Their healthcare provider will monitor their growth and development and administer routine immunizations and other screenings.
- Vaccinations. Routine vaccines for polio; hepatitis A and B; diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP); measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); and varicella (chickenpox) are covered as preventive care.
- Behavioral and mental health screenings. Your child's pediatrician will routinely screen for symptoms of autism, depression or other developmental delays.
The preventive healthcare described above are just a few of the services available for children that are typically covered by most insurance plans and CHIP. Talk with your child's pediatrician about comprehensive preventive care as your child grows.
Annual Check-Ups
Yearly wellness visits with your primary care physician may include a head-to-toe physical, an assessment and discussion about your overall health or both. The age at which your healthcare provider begins screenings for certain conditions depends on your family history, lifestyle and other factors.
Generally, starting in their 20s, adults should see their healthcare provider(s) annually to screen their vision and hearing, update their immunizations and review any medications or lifestyle changes. Schedule an annual visit with a dermatologist for a comprehensive skin exam to screen for early signs of skin cancer or other skin conditions. See your dentist every six months for regular cleanings and to assess possible dental conditions like gum disease or tooth decay.
Why Is Preventive Health Important?
Preventive healthcare not only promotes overall well-being but encompasses a range of measures aimed at preventing diseases. If your family history includes chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes or osteoporosis, your chances of developing the disease itself may be higher.
With regular screenings, checkups and lifestyle modifications and management, your healthcare provider can help you reduce the likelihood of developing these conditions or catching them early when they're easier to treat, which can lead to better outcomes overall.
Preventive Health Can Lower Lifetime Care Costs
“Until recently, patients and providers have taken a reactive approach to health, focusing on treatment rather than prevention, which can lead to higher costs associated with managing conditions," explains Gadhavi.
This principle is illustrated in the Lifetime of Healthcare Costs research study by Synchrony, which found that an insured American with an employer-sponsored health plan can expect to spend more than $320,000, including insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, over the course of their adult lifetime.1 Additionally, the report found that yearly healthcare costs are nearly 1.5 times higher than what most respondents estimate them to be.1 Respondents guessed that they spent about $850 per year in healthcare costs, when in reality, the reported yearly total was $2,100.1
Preventive care is a cost-effective approach that can lower healthcare spending in both the short and long term. By preventing or delaying the onset of chronic diseases, preventive care can reduce the need for hospitalizations, emergency room visits, surgeries, expensive medications or other long-term care that can incur significant medical expenses.
Regular wellness visits and screenings can lead to early disease detection and timely treatment, leading to better patient outcomes overall.
Managing Health and Wellness Costs With the CareCredit Credit Card
If you are looking for an option to help manage your health and wellness costs, consider financing with the CareCredit credit card. The CareCredit credit card can help you pay for the care you want and need and make payments easy to manage.** Use our Acceptance Locator to find a provider near you that accepts CareCredit. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U hub for more great articles, podcasts and videos.
Your CareCredit credit card can be used in so many ways within the CareCredit network including vision, dentistry, cosmetic, pet care, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases and spa treatments. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?
Expert Reviewer
Noela Kleinman, M.S., F.N.P.-B.C., A.P.R.N.-C
Noela Kleinman is a board-certified nurse practitioner with Stamford Health, located in Stamford, Connecticut, and has more than 30 years of experience practicing within corporate, employee health and occupational health settings in the New York area. She is also a Clinical Adjunct Professor with the College of Mount Saint Vincent FNP Graduate Program in Riverdale, New York, where she has taught since 2021.
Author Bio
Anne-Marie Kennedy is a freelance writer with more than 20 years of experience covering health and wellness, personal finance and real estate/investing.
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