Obesity counseling. If your weight is raising your risk of heart disease, counseling may help you lose and manage weight and lower your risk. If you are overweight or obese, even losing 10 pounds can lower your chance of developing heart disease.Your doctor can tell you about different ways to lose weight, such as a weight loss plan with personalized counseling. A plan could involve setting weight loss goals, improving your diet, and increasing physical activity.
Tobacco use. Your doctor can help you develop a plan for quitting, or guide you to someone who can. A solid quit-plan can include strategies to handle cravings, medication, getting support from family and friends, and exercise.
Who Can Get Free Preventive Care?
All health insurance companies must cover these services as part of their essential health benefits. The exception is the so-called grandfathered plans, which are health plans that existed before March 2010 and that have made minimal changes to their benefits.
Check your health plan’s summary of benefits to see if you can get free preventive-care services. If you’re not sure, call your insurance company or ask your employer’s human resources department if you’re enrolled in the heath plan through work.
Is It Worth It to Get These Services?
Heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type in the United States is coronary artery disease, which is also called coronary heart disease. This condition happens when the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become hardened and narrowed due to the buildup of plaque. It can cause a heart attack, severe chest pain, heart failure, and irregular heartbeat.
In the U.S., coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than 400,000 Americans die from the disease each year.
Taking the step to be checked and striving to make lifestyle changes can help keep you from getting heart disease.
Free Heart Screenings Under Obamacare was originally published on blackdoctor.org
