Medicare Expanding Coverage To Reduce Cardiovascular Disease

CMS announces new Medicare preventative service to reduce cardiovascular disease

CMS announced Tuesday November 8, 2011 that they are expanding coverage to reduce cardiovascular heart disease in contribution to the Million Hearts Initiative introduced by the Department for Health and Human services earlier this year.

CMS, HMS and the CDC are working together with public and private interests with the goal of preventing one million heart attacks or strokes within the next five years.

This sounds like a noble task… but how is it going to get paid for?

What this Medicare-covered preventative service means to you

Medicare currently includes a wide range of covered preventative services including cardiovascular screenings. Medicare covers these screening tests every five years to test your cholesterol, lipid and triglyceride levels.

The tests have been covered 100% with 20% of the doctor’s visit being your responsibility. People enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan generally don’t incur an out-of-pocket expense.

The newly announced Medicare coverage to reduce cardiovascular disease will allow one face-to-face visit per year to allow patients and their doctors the opportunity to determine the best way to prevent cardiovascular disease.

The visit must be with a primary care physician such as a general practitioner, doctor of internal medicine or a nurse practitioner. Providers may screen for hypertension and discus a heart healthy diet during the visit.

The expanded service is made possible by the Affordable Care Act.

What do you think of the added service?

I’d like to know what you think of this added service.

Does this expanded benefit save Medicare beneficiaries money and offer value?

Do you feel that since a yearly wellness visit is a Medicare-covered preventative service, this new service is redundant?

Have you ever had an annual wellness visit where your blood pressure was not measured or the provider spoke to you about your health?

Please leave a comment below.