Presented by Independent Health
Providing affordable, quality health care is why we’re here. And it’s why we are now offering $0 copay on preventive services such as:
Mammograms Cholesterol Screenings Colonoscopies More...
Mammograms
A mammogram provides the best way for you to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage.
We do not know how to prevent breast cancer, but if it is found early, women have more treatment options and a better chance for survival. Breast cancer can be found through an X-ray called a mammogram. Having regular mammograms is the best way to find breast cancer early.
Could I Have Breast Cancer and Not Know It?
Yes. Cancer can start at any time and there may not be any symptoms. That is why your best chance of finding cancer early is to get a screening mammogram every year.
What Does This Mean for Me?
It means you should get a mammogram. A mammogram can find breast cancer early. If it is found early, it is easier to treat or cure.
How Often Should I Get a Mammogram?
Every year. Regular screening mammograms are the best way to detect cancer early. They should be part of every woman’s life age 40 or older.
How Is a Mammogram Done?
Mammograms are quick and easy. You just stand in front of an X-ray machine. The person who takes the X-ray places your breast between two plastic plates. The plates press your breast and make it flat. This may feel uncomfortable for a few seconds, but it helps to get a clear picture. You will have X-rays taken of each breast, which takes only a few minutes.
Where Can I Get a Mammogram?
Ask your doctor or nurse, or your local health department. You may also call the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) for more information about breast cancer and mammograms. People with TTY equipment may dial 1-800-332-8615.
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Cholesterol Screenings
Did you know your cholesterol level has a lot to do with your chances of having a heart attack or stroke? The higher your cholesterol level, the greater your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack.
How Does Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?
When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your blood vessels. They become narrowed or blocked, which decreases the blood supply. Blood carries oxygen to your heart: if the flow is slowed down, you may experience chest pain. If the blood supply is cut off by a blockage, you will have a heart attack. (A stroke, for example, is caused when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked.)
What Are the Symptoms of High Cholesterol?
There are no symptoms of high cholesterol so many people do not realize their cholesterol is too high. That’s why it is important to see your doctor and have a test called a fasting lipid profile.
What Affects Cholesterol Levels?
Your doctor can help you decide on the right treatment plan for you.
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Colonoscopies
Colorectal (large bowel) cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Together, the colon and rectum make up the large bowel or large intestine.
Most colon and rectal cancers originate from benign wart-like growths on the inner lining of the colon or rectum called polyps. Not all polyps have the potential to turn into cancer. Those that do have the potential are callled adenomas. It takes more than 10 years in most cases for an adenoma to develop into cancer. This is why some colon cancer prevention tests are effective even if done at 10-year intervals.
How Common Is Colorectal Cancer?
Colorectal cancer is the second-most common cancer killer overall and third-most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States in both males and females. There will be approximately 147,000 new cases and 57,100 deaths from colorectal cancer each year.
What Is Screening for Colorectal Cancer?
Screening looks for cancer or polyps when patients have no symptoms. Finding colorectal cancer before symptoms develop dramatically improves the chance of survival. Identifying and removing polyps before they become cancerous actually prevents the development of colorectal cancer.
Who Is At Risk for Colorectal Cancer?
Polyps can grow for years and transform into cancer without producing any symptoms. By the time symptoms develop, it is often too late to cure the cancer because it may have spread. Screening identifies cancers earlier and actually results in cancer prevention when it leads to the removal of pre-cancerous polyps.
Colonoscopy – The Best Test for Prevention
Your doctor can examine your entire colon and rectum during a colonoscopy. This procedure is used to look for early signs of cancer in the colon and rectum where they could not be reached by sigmoidoscopy. Polyps can be removed during colonoscopy and sedation is usually used.
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More
Preventive Services Available for $0 Copay
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screen
Basic Metabolism Test (general health panel)
Bone Mineral Density Measurements or Tests
Chlamydia Screening
Colonoscopy and Sigmoidoscopy
Fecal Blood Testing
Hemoglobin and Hematocrit Testing
HIV Screening
HPV Screening
Immunizations Cholesterol Test (lipid panel)
Lead Screen in Childhood and/or Pregnancy
Mammogram
Physical Exam
Pap Smear
Prenatal and One Postpartum Visit
Prostate Test (Prostate Specific Antigen "PSA")
Rh Screen
Rubella Screening
Well Child Visit
Return to Top
A mammogram provides the best way for you to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage.
We do not know how to prevent breast cancer, but if it is found early, women have more treatment options and a better chance for survival. Breast cancer can be found through an X-ray called a mammogram. Having regular mammograms is the best way to find breast cancer early.
Could I Have Breast Cancer and Not Know It?
Yes. Cancer can start at any time and there may not be any symptoms. That is why your best chance of finding cancer early is to get a screening mammogram every year.
What Does This Mean for Me?
It means you should get a mammogram. A mammogram can find breast cancer early. If it is found early, it is easier to treat or cure.
How Often Should I Get a Mammogram?
Every year. Regular screening mammograms are the best way to detect cancer early. They should be part of every woman’s life age 40 or older.
How Is a Mammogram Done?
Mammograms are quick and easy. You just stand in front of an X-ray machine. The person who takes the X-ray places your breast between two plastic plates. The plates press your breast and make it flat. This may feel uncomfortable for a few seconds, but it helps to get a clear picture. You will have X-rays taken of each breast, which takes only a few minutes.
Where Can I Get a Mammogram?
Ask your doctor or nurse, or your local health department. You may also call the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) for more information about breast cancer and mammograms. People with TTY equipment may dial 1-800-332-8615.
Return to Top
Cholesterol Screenings
Did you know your cholesterol level has a lot to do with your chances of having a heart attack or stroke? The higher your cholesterol level, the greater your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack.
How Does Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?
When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your blood vessels. They become narrowed or blocked, which decreases the blood supply. Blood carries oxygen to your heart: if the flow is slowed down, you may experience chest pain. If the blood supply is cut off by a blockage, you will have a heart attack. (A stroke, for example, is caused when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked.)
What Are the Symptoms of High Cholesterol?
There are no symptoms of high cholesterol so many people do not realize their cholesterol is too high. That’s why it is important to see your doctor and have a test called a fasting lipid profile.
What Affects Cholesterol Levels?
- Diet – Reduce the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet.
- Physical Activity – Be active for 30 minutes most days of the week. Physical activity helps lower LDL and raise HDL.
- Weight – Maintain a healthy weight (BMI 18.5 – 24.9).
- Age, Gender and Heredity – You can’t change these, but they can also affect cholesterol levels.
- The first step is to initiate Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes. This includes diet, exercise and weight management.
- Some people also need medicines to help lower their cholesterol.
Your doctor can help you decide on the right treatment plan for you.
Return to Top
Colonoscopies
Colorectal (large bowel) cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Together, the colon and rectum make up the large bowel or large intestine.
Most colon and rectal cancers originate from benign wart-like growths on the inner lining of the colon or rectum called polyps. Not all polyps have the potential to turn into cancer. Those that do have the potential are callled adenomas. It takes more than 10 years in most cases for an adenoma to develop into cancer. This is why some colon cancer prevention tests are effective even if done at 10-year intervals.
How Common Is Colorectal Cancer?
Colorectal cancer is the second-most common cancer killer overall and third-most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States in both males and females. There will be approximately 147,000 new cases and 57,100 deaths from colorectal cancer each year.
What Is Screening for Colorectal Cancer?
Screening looks for cancer or polyps when patients have no symptoms. Finding colorectal cancer before symptoms develop dramatically improves the chance of survival. Identifying and removing polyps before they become cancerous actually prevents the development of colorectal cancer.
Who Is At Risk for Colorectal Cancer?
- Everyone age 50 and older.
- Men and women.
- Anyone with a family history of colorectal cancer
- Anyone with a personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps at any age, or cancer of the uterus or ovary diagnosed before age 50.
Polyps can grow for years and transform into cancer without producing any symptoms. By the time symptoms develop, it is often too late to cure the cancer because it may have spread. Screening identifies cancers earlier and actually results in cancer prevention when it leads to the removal of pre-cancerous polyps.
Colonoscopy – The Best Test for Prevention
Your doctor can examine your entire colon and rectum during a colonoscopy. This procedure is used to look for early signs of cancer in the colon and rectum where they could not be reached by sigmoidoscopy. Polyps can be removed during colonoscopy and sedation is usually used.
Return to Top
More
Preventive Services Available for $0 Copay
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screen
Basic Metabolism Test (general health panel)
Bone Mineral Density Measurements or Tests
Chlamydia Screening
Colonoscopy and Sigmoidoscopy
Fecal Blood Testing
Hemoglobin and Hematocrit Testing
HIV Screening
HPV Screening
Immunizations Cholesterol Test (lipid panel)
Lead Screen in Childhood and/or Pregnancy
Mammogram
Physical Exam
Pap Smear
Prenatal and One Postpartum Visit
Prostate Test (Prostate Specific Antigen "PSA")
Rh Screen
Rubella Screening
Well Child Visit
Return to Top
©2009 Independent Health, Association.
