What’s Considered ‘Preventive’ Care?

Medical insurance is there to cover you when you are ill and need medical assistance, whether it’s for common ailments or certain chronic diseases that you may be suffering from.

However, there is something known as preventive care that is meant to assist you before you even need to see a doctor or be hospitalised, and yes, it is 100 percent covered by most plans.

What exactly is Preventive care?

Well, it is exactly as the name suggests.

Vaccinations, check-ups and other pre-emptive measures to avoid serious illness all fall under the preventive care umbrella.

Preventive care can help reduce your future healthcare costs if you diagnose a condition early or if immunisation prevents you from catching a serious illness, explains Insights.

Blood pressure screenings, HIV tests, paediatric screenings for hearing, vision, autism and developmental disorders, depression and obesity all fall under preventive care.

Another example, in flu season, preventive measures are taken by the government to make available a flu vaccine to ensure that people are safe from contracting any viruses that may be doing the rounds.

In babies, immunisations are expected at certain ages to stop things such as chicken pox, measles and polio.

Is it really covered by insurance?

Yes, but only to some extent.

Even though certain tests, screenings and other measures may have 100% cover, there may be a limit on the amount of screening you can have over a certain period of time.

Be sure to check with your insurance company ahead of time on the services that will be covered.

What is preventive medicine?

SAPHMA explains that preventive medicine includes both clinical and non-clinical aspects. Clinicians see patients daily and provide clinical services in screening, health counselling and immunisation for common diseases and for people who can benefit from the prevention of diseases and by changing their lifestyles.

Clinical preventive medicinal activities, including measures to promote health and prevent the occurrence, progression and disabling effects of diseases and injury.