People today often only visit doctors when they feel something is wrong. Because of this, insurance providers are trying to encourage people to see their doctor for preventive measures as well. This not only means cheaper medical expenses for the insurer and insured, but also means that diseases are more likely to be caught in earlier stages when something can still be do are done to fix them. Preventative visits vary for men and women but there are many different ones.

For Women

Mammograms and pap smears should be done for women on an annual or biannual basis. Mammograms are intended to detect any abnormal lumps in the breast and should be done on a very regular basis to ensure any signs of breast cancer are spotted and removed before it gets severe. Pap smears are done to detect any abnormalities in the cervix or uterus that could be either cancerous or some other dangerous condition that must be treated quickly.

For Men

Men often have to have periodic colonoscopies to check for early signs of prostate cancer. Men often do not take advantage of preventative visits because of pride issues, but it is vital that men get regular checkups for testicular and prostate cancer, as well as heart diseases that are more common among men.

For men and women, annual physicals are important to make sure everything is healthy. You may think something is normal but when mentioned to a doctor, they may find it necessary to run further tests. Physicals can help doctors check in with patients and make sure all the body’s functions are working properly. Since insurance companies recognize and encourage the importance of preventative visits, most providers offer them with no out of pocket costs or copays. Preventative visits are intended to prevent diseases from going too long undetected, and being free means there should be no reason to skip out on them.