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AMA and AARP publish Medicare preventive benefits brochure
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Feb. 6, 2012
The American Medical Association and AARP announced Jan. 26 the publication of a brochure to inform Medicare patients about fully covered preventive services.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires Medicare to fully cover with no cost-sharing preventive procedures backed by strong effectiveness evidence.
"This brochure clearly explains these covered services so patients can make informed health care decisions with their physicians," said AMA President Peter W. Carmel, MD.
The "Team Up To Stay Healthy" brochure outlines items patients should bring to their yearly wellness visits as well as questions to ask. It also notes that, under some circumstances, preventive visits may lead to additional procedures that require co-pays.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also collaborated on this document, which is available online (link).
The document also is available in a Spanish-language version (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/02/06/bibf0206.htm.