What do preventive services include?

Asked by: Joany Ullrich  |  Last update: August 19, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (47 votes)

Routine health care that includes screenings, check-ups, and patient counseling to prevent illnesses, disease, or other health problems.

What are examples of preventive services?

Preventive Care
  • Blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests.
  • Many cancer screenings, including mammograms and colonoscopies.
  • Counseling on such topics as quitting smoking, losing weight, eating healthfully, treating depression, and reducing alcohol use.
  • Regular well-baby and well-child visits.

What is not covered under preventive care?

What's not considered preventive care? There are times when certain tests and screenings aren't considered preventive care. Things like diagnostic care, bloodwork and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing may or may not be considered preventive.

What is included in preventive medicine services?

Preventive services include exams, shots, lab tests, and screenings. They also include programs for health monitoring, and counseling and education to help you take care of your own health.

What are the four major categories of preventative care?

4 Categories of Preventive Care Services Covered Under the ACA
  • Screenings and counseling.
  • Routine immunizations.
  • Preventive services for women.
  • Preventive services for children and youth.

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40 related questions found

What are the 3 levels of preventive care?

The three levels of prevention are primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Why am I being charged for preventive care?

Although you don't pay cost-sharing charges when you receive preventive care, the cost of those services is wrapped into the cost of your health insurance. Thus, whether or not you choose to get the recommended preventive care, you're paying for it through the cost of your health insurance premiums anyway.

What type of service is not considered to be a preventive medical service?

Alternative therapies: Services such as chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, and other alternative health services are not considered preventive care.

What does not preventive include?

An office visit that is not considered a preventative exam includes:
  • Discussing or getting treatment for a specific health concern, condition or injury.
  • Lab work, X-rays or additional tests related to a specific health concern, condition or injury.

Is bloodwork considered preventative care?

Answer: If the physician orders lab work during a preventive care visit some of the tests may be covered as preventive care, such as a cholesterol screening. However, other blood chemistry panels like iron, kidney or liver function and urinalysis, would not be covered as preventive care.

What is 100% preventive care?

Your health plan pays 100% of certain preventive care services with no out-of-pocket costs to you. Preventive care is routine health care that includes screenings, checkups, and patient counseling to help prevent illnesses, disease, or other health problems.

What are the 6 things Medicare doesn't cover?

Some of the items and services Medicare doesn't cover include:
  • Eye exams (for prescription eyeglasses)
  • Long-term care.
  • Cosmetic surgery.
  • Massage therapy.
  • Routine physical exams.
  • Hearing aids and exams for fitting them.

Is a colonoscopy considered preventive care?

Under the Affordable Care Act, you can get certain preventive health care tests done for free. Colonoscopy is one of these tests. It is often free, but there are some cases in which patients must pay part of the cost.

What is an adult preventive visit?

Content medically reviewed by Tanya Diegel, DO, and Jane Rudd, MD. An adult preventive visit, also known as an adult physical or complete physical, is a yearly appointment intended to prevent illnesses and detect health concerns early, before symptoms are noticeable.

What is an example of basic preventive maintenance?

Common examples of preventive maintenance tasks are regular cleaning, lubrication, replacing of parts, and equipment repairs.

What are the different types of prevention services?

However, three common types of preventative care that medical professionals and clinics offer are annual physical exams, cancer screenings, and vaccinations.

Is a colonoscopy considered preventive care in United Healthcare?

A: Yes, in this situation, the colonoscopy would be considered under the preventive care services benefit when billed in accordance with the coding in the Colorectal Cancer Screening row listed in this policy.

Which of the following is not an example of preventative healthcare?

The option 'Going to a doctor only when something is wrong' is not an example of preventative care. Preventative care refers to measures taken to prevent illness or injury, and often includes regular check-ups and screenings to detect potential health issues before they become serious.

Is a dermatologist visit considered preventive care?

According to the guidelines set by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), skin cancer screenings are not considered to be covered as preventive services. However, a skin cancer screening conducted during a routine annual exam may be considered a form of preventive care.

How much does Medicare pay for home health care per hour?

Medicare will cover 100% of the costs for medically necessary home health care, provided that care is “part time or intermittent.” The care needed must be less than 28 hours per week. The average cost of home health care in 2024 is $29.50 per hour, but it can vary greatly by state.

What does Medicare consider preventive services?

Preventive services include exams, shots, lab tests, and screenings. They also include programs for health monitoring, and counseling and education to help you take care of your own health.

Is bloodwork covered by insurance?

Preventive vs. Diagnostic: If the blood work is part of preventive care (such as routine screening tests), many insurance plans cover it fully. However, if the blood work is for diagnostic purposes (e.g., to investigate a symptom or monitor a known health condition), it might come with out-of-pocket costs.

Why did my insurance not cover my doctor visit?

In some cases, the service simply isn't covered by the plan. In other cases, necessary prior authorization wasn't obtained, the provider wasn't in-network, or the claim was coded incorrectly.

Is preventative care worth it?

Clinical preventive services (CPS) play an integral role in protecting and promoting individual health and the health of communities. Such services can help people recognize health problems early, when treatment often is most effective. CPS can also help prevent certain diseases altogether.