Oak Street Medical Blog

Everybody seems to have heard about the new Yearly Wellness Exams. In fact, I’ve got patients calling me every day wanting to schedule their "physical exam" that Medicare now pays for – or does it?

The truth is, Medicare still does not pay for a traditional physical exam. Unfortunately, a head-to-toe checkup with a Pap smear for women and a prostate check for men remains an uncovered service unless a prior qualifying diagnosis requiring these procedures is necessary. What Medicare does pay for is more appropriately referred to as a limited "geriatric assessment."

Geriatric assessments have been around for a while, and are mostly offered by geriatricians, those who specialize in senior care. They consist of several evaluations:
Functional tests to see if you are at risk for falling
Memory tests to see if you are at risk for developing Alzheimer’s dementia
Depression tests to see if you need treatment for depression
Background history to see what your disease risk is from lifestyle or genetics.

The wellness visit also includes a personalized risk profile to help you pinpoint the best places to make changes.

So, should you bother? I say, yes. After all, we all want to stay independent as long as possible. That’s really what this exam is about – trying to assess real and foreseeable problems and either fix or prevent them. Sounds like a good goal to me!

Patients eligible for Medicare can switch their existing plan or add a supplemental plan to receive optimal health care coverage during Medicare’s open enrollment period now through to Dec. 7.

Free, confidential counseling and assistance for people with Medicare is available through Oregon Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA). Call 800-722-4134 to speak with someone at a local office to get help choosing a plan that’s right for you.

If you would like more information about the Medicare Wellness Exam or would like to schedule an exam, please call Oak Street Medical at 541-431-0000 to make an appointment.

Visit Medicare’s website for more information about specific plans.

Given the statistics we all know that breast cancer is common, and that all women should consider themselves at risk of getting it. But how does that translate into the actions we take in our own lives? What are some practical things can we do to detect it? Does finding it early really make a difference?

Yes, it really does. The survival difference between Stage 0 breast cancer (the cancer has not started to invade the normal breast) and Stage II (the average stage at which breast cancer first becomes big enough to feel) can be as much as 20 percent. That’s a lot more mothers, sisters and friends lost.

So, what can you do to make it more likely you’ll be one of the survivors if breast cancer strikes?

Get a mammogram: I can’t stress this enough. The studies are clear mammograms detect cancers at a much smaller size, giving you a better chance of joining the 93 percent survival group. Talk with your doctor about having annual mammograms if you are 40 or older, earlier if you have a family history of breast cancer.

See your doctor for a breast exam: Mammograms are good, but not perfect. Your doctor has been trained to look for subtle skin changes, and to find lumps that you might not notice. In addition, you’ll need your doctor’s help and support to get further treatment, such as a biopsy, if your mammogram does come back abnormal.

Check your own breasts: Become familiar with your breasts and what’s normal for you. Look at them carefully in the mirror, and examine them monthly. There’s no special way to examine them – just pick a systematic way that ensures you don’t miss any areas. Understanding the warning signs of breast cancer and knowing what is normal for you may help you see or feel changes in your breast.

What about the radiation? Won’t I get breast cancer from that? The best information says: no. The amount of radiation you receive from a mammogram is about 70 millirems, which is the amount of environmental radiation you’re exposed to over two months. The studies that have looked at this low level of radiation exposure have not found any increase in breast cancer.

With October being National Breast Cancer Awareness month, there are a lot of events going on, including the Komen Eugene Race for the Cure happening Sunday, Oct. 23 at Autzen Stadium. Get involved!