We become more prone to sickness and diseases as we get older. This is why it’s important for mature athletes to undergo the following tests and preventive interventions to ensure that we won’t get caught off guard by a serious illness once we reach a certain age (costs are indicated in parentheses):
Cardiovascular Diseases
- Risk assessment for diseases affecting the cardiovascular system (cost depends on specific test done) ($123)
- Blood pressure screening/control
- Dyslipidemia screening/control ($68)
- Obesity screening with BMI
- Screening for diabetes mellitus ($61)
Cancer
- Screen with mammography every two years for women at risk of developing breast cancer ($336)
- Pap smear + HPV testing every five years for the prevention of cervical cancer ($25-$60)
- Screening (colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood test) for colorectal cancer ($3,081)
- Screening with low-dose helical CT scan for lung cancer ($5,295)
- Discuss screening, individual decision for prostate cancer ($117)
- Periodic skin exam to detect melanoma risk
Immunization
- Annual influenza vaccination ($5-$30)
- Tdap at least once/Td every 10 years ($164)
- Varicella vaccine ($15-$95)
- HPV vaccine ($400-$500)
- Zoster vaccine ($200-$250)
- Pneumococcal vaccine ($27-$78)
- Meningococcal vaccine ($100-$150)
- Hepatitis B vaccine ($120-$370)
Sexually Transmitted/Blood-borne Infections
- Screening for chlamydia/gonorrhea ($16-$24)
- Screening for Hepatitis A, B, and C ($32-$52)
- HIV/syphilis screening ($92)
Psychosocial Health Concerns
- Screening for depression
- Screening for alcohol and/or tobacco misuse ($50-$80)
- Unhealthy drug use assessment ($100-$650)
It seems that it’s much better to pay these tests on your own. A report by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that workers pay an average of $1,318 out of pocket before their health insurance provides coverage for part of their medical bills. They also have to pay an average of $89 each month for health insurance premiums. Experts predict that health insurance premiums will continue to rise in the coming years. With this info in mind, perhaps it’s a better idea to pay for these tests out of pocket or have a different type of insurance plan or none at all so you can minimize your monthly medical expenses.
