Building awareness of the upcoming prevention benefits in Medicare.
November 9, 2004

STATEMENT OF JOHN R. SEFFRIN, PhD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, LYNN B. NICHOLAS, FACHE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION, AND M. CASS WHEELER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT OF FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP ON MEDICARE’S PREVENTION CAMPAIGN

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke have much in common. Together they represent both the largest killers in the Medicare population and the biggest expenditures in the Medicare program. Combined, the four chronic diseases account for nearly two out of every three deaths in the United States. However, each can be prevented or treated more effectively when diagnosed at earlier stages.

Recently our organizations joined forces to launch “Everyday Choices For A Healthier Life,” a three-year advocacy, public and professional education campaign to provide unified health recommendations for all Americans and joint screening advice for physicians. Today we join to voice our support of the life-saving prevention campaign that has been launched by the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

Our organizations are particularly pleased at the opportunities offered by the new “Welcome to Medicare” physical, which our organizations worked hard to enact, as it is a historic change that will put more emphasis on preventive care. When Medicare was established in 1965, little was known about preventive care and early detection. As a result, Medicare did not cover “wellness visits” and was fundamentally a program for the sick. But now, beginning on January 1, 2005, new Medicare beneficiaries will be eligible for an initial physical within six months of their enrollment in the Medicare program.

We strongly believe this new benefit will help promote prevention and early detection and that it is an important first step to improving screening rates and health outcomes for our nation’s seniors. The benefit includes height, weight, and blood pressure measurements, vision tests, and an EKG. Physician recommendation is the most important factor for patients in deciding to get screening tests. The Welcome to Medicare benefit provides patients with an opportunity to receive or be referred for screening and diagnostic exams and other preventive services covered by Medicare. It is a chance for doctors to review a patient’s family history, provide information to patients on healthy living, and offer counseling on tobacco use, diet and physical activity.

We are also pleased that this new campaign will focus on increasing awareness among seniors about the disease prevention and early detection services covered by Medicare in hopes of increasing utilization. Some of these services, such as cardiovascular and diabetes screening, will be newly covered by Medicare on January 1, 2005, the same day that coverage will begin for the physical. Others, such as the cancer screenings, have been covered by Medicare for some time.

On behalf of our millions of volunteers and supporters, the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Heart Association today thank HHS, CMS, and CDC for their efforts to raise awareness through this new campaign. Our organizations look forward to working with CMS further on the implementation of the physical and on other associated educational and outreach efforts.

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