Get Screened, Live Healthy

Getting regular health screenings is one of the most important ways to stay healthy so that you can be around for those you love and experience more of life’s joys.

Regular screenings help you identify health risks early enough to get ahead of them and get the best possible treatment. The earlier a disease is diagnosed, the greater the likelihood of successful treatment. Getting screened for chronic health conditions like high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension is one of the surest ways to help ensure you live a longer, healthier life. So see your doctor for fast, easy screenings—you can get many of your results on the spot!

Schedule Your Screenings for the Year

These screenings are also an excellent way to check how well you are managing an already diagnosed condition. To get screened, visit your doctor or go to an 1199SEIU health fair at your worksite.

Your Benefit Fund’s Chief Medical Officer recommends that you follow these screening guidelines.

Screening Beginning at age How often?
Physical Exam All ages At least every year
Eye Exam Age 40+ Every 2 to 4 years
Blood Pressure Screening Age 18+ At least every year
Cholesterol*
Age 18+
If your initial test results were abnormal, or if you’re at higher risk of heart disease
 Every 5 years
As directed per your doctor
Glucose/Blood Sugar Screening for Diabetes*
 Age 45+ With every annual checkup
Bone Density (osteoporosis screening)
Women: age 65+, as well as younger postmenopausal women who have risk factors or who have had a fracture as an adult
Men: 65+
Women: Once, then as directed per your doctor
Men: Discuss with your doctor

Cancer Screenings †

Colorectal Cancer
 Age 45+
Colonoscopy every 10 years or Fecal occult blood test every year or Cologuard every 3 years
Ask your doctor which test is best for you.
Cervical Cancer: PAP test
Women age 21–65
Every 3 years
Cervical Cancer: HPV and PAP test Women age 30–65 Every 5 years, or just Pap test every 3 years (If an HPV test is positive, screenings should be annual)††
Breast Cancer: Clinical Breast Exam
Women age 20+
 At your regular checkup
Breast Cancer: Mammography Women age 40+ Every year
Prostate Cancer Men: Discuss with your doctor Discuss with your doctor
Lung Cancer Current/former smokers within the past 15 years, age 50 to 80, who smoked 1 pack/day for 20 years or 2 packs/day for 10 years. Annual


* Talk to your doctor if you smoke; are overweight; have high blood pressure, diabetes or a history of gestational diabetes; have a family history of diabetes, heart disease or stroke; or are at risk for coronary artery disease. ⌃

† For all cancer screenings, talk to your doctor about your history and see if you need to get additional tests at an earlier age. ⌃

† For all cancer screenings, talk to your doctor about your history and see if you need to get additional tests at an earlier age. ⌃

 

†† The HPV test looks for infections that are likely to cause cervical cancer, and can be used alone or at the same time as the Pap test.⌃

†† The HPV test looks for infections that are likely to cause cervical cancer, and can be used alone or at the same time as the Pap test.⌃

Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American Cancer Society; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services