It's no secret around here that I've been trying to be a "healthier" lately.
I put that in quotes because that phrase can mean different things to different people. BUT between my food philosophy and a new love begrudging appreciation for fitness (I will simply never be one of those people who loves to work out), I'm working on it. Sometimes you do things because you know you have to, and quite frankly, because your life depends on it.
May is Women's Health Month, and it can't be stressed enough how important it is to be proactive about health in every aspect of your life. Devoting time to your diet, exercise, and overall preventative medicine is crucial in living your best life.
Recently I found myself thinking about preventative medicine visits and trying to recall, "is it every two years for mammograms? At what age does that start? What about other stuff, didn't they just change some guidelines?" Honestly I felt a lot like I did about eating right: I would find myself getting terribly overwhelmed, not having something easy to understand in one location, and as a result, not doing anything about it.
So, the timing was pretty perfect when Oscar Insurance inspired me to post this neat info graphic on my blog in honor of Women's Health Month. (If you all already knew this stuff, at least now I have a convenient spot to come back and reference it for myself!)
Oscar has tools like their Doctor on Call service where you can call your doctor right through the app with any health questions you have without making an appointment. Or the personal health care timeline that list out your entire health history within the app. Their incentive program uses Misfit wearables where members can sync them to the app, set personal goals for steps and every time they hit those goals they earn back cash rewards up to $240 a year.
For an industry as a whole that tended to associate with an older generation and maybe wasn't as progressive, I'm so impressed with what insurance companies have been doing lately in terms of technology and health. From services like Doctor on Call to Virtuwell, fitbits, misfits, jawbones- we've created a level of accessibility to our health and our health stats that is really incredible when you actually think about it.
I'm not trying to sell you anything with this post (although if you did need Insurance and lived in NY, NJ or soon TX or CA, Oscar seems pretty cool)- but I figured if it even prompts one of you to schedule an exam or do something proactive for your health, it's worth it! You can find more information on Oscar's health insurance plans here.
Had no idea it was women's health month but I totally get what you're saying about being confused about preventative medicine visits. This info totally calms my nerves. I go to the doctor plenty! My doctor once told me I'm very "health and body aware" but I think she was just trying to hint that I'm a borderline hypochondriac, haha.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that that thing says mammogram every two years. I work in a mammography center & we do a mammogram once every year starting at 40, but they do like to do a baseline mammogram at age 35. If everything at that one is fine, then you don't have to start coming annually until age 40. Obviously the only difference in this guideline is if you have breast pain or feel a lump or something. I have had some patients ask me "is it annually or every two years", though, but we tell them annually. Most insurances cover one every year, too. (That's here, though. I don't know if it varies state to state.)
ReplyDeleteGreat post!