Do I really need a physical?
When was the last time you had a physical? I remember in high school it was mandatory to get a physical before you could play sports. It was also required to have one for college and to be up-to-date on all of your immunizations.
Do you even think about getting a physical anymore now that school is over and sports are long gone? The harsh truth is that most people “feel” like they’re “healthy” so they don’t ever get an annual checkup with their doctor. Or, they would rather not know what’s going on with them until they’re sick or something seems off.
What’s the importance of a physical?
Getting a physical doesn’t seem like a big deal but if I told you it could mean life or death, would you take it a little more seriously? Physicals have saved so many lives because even though you may feel fine and normal, there could be a serious underlying problem that hasn’t come to the surface yet. In order to make sure it never will, an annual physical should be a priority.
Many people think that an annual physical is primarily for women. Not true! Men also benefit greatly because a physical could help diagnose and find things like prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, kidney stones, etc. Not only the big problems and complications can be detected but even smaller things such as a hormonal imbalances, elevated blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels.
Does your health insurance cover you?
While the majority of people may know that a physical is important, there’s still another BIG reason for some not regularly getting a checkup. Physicals are not always covered by health insurance companies so that could make the cost of this visit to be more expensive and possibly a complete out-of-pocket expense. This could deter people from actually wanting to get theirs done.
There’s a solution for this problem, though. First, check with your health insurance provider and take a look at your benefits included in your policy. For example, private health insurance plans have upfront wellness benefits before having to meet a deductible that include a yearly physical along with several other wellness benefits. The best part is, if your visit is less than the benefit amount you’re allowed, they’ll actually cut you a check for the remaining balance that wasn’t used! Hello pay day!
Is your physical considered “In-Network?”
If your network is limited with your health insurance plan, that could also make getting a physical more difficult because out-of-network costs can be more than double the “in-network” amount. No one really wants to fork over that kind of money just for a physical so they neglect it. With private health insurance, you can practically choose any doctor you wish to see because of its huge, national PPO network. You’re not limited to doctors just in North Carolina! Having a variety of doctors to choose from can help with finding one that you trust your health with.
Physicals are absolutely necessary and so important! Your health should be the biggest priority because what kind of impact can you make in the world if you’re not at your full, healthy potential? Get your annual physicals and make sure you have invested in great health coverage so you can have access to these important checkups when you need them! Stay healthy, my friends!
Tiffany Eggers, USHealth Advisors Licensed Agent, was born and raised in North Carolina. She has been living in the Lake Norman area for the majority of her life. She loves the close-knit community that Lake Norman has and how it’s a one-stop shop for food, events, and fun! As a UNC Charlotte Alumni with a major in Exercise Science, she has a huge passion for health and fitness as well as connecting and helping people with their own health and wellness. A fun fact about Tiffany is that she can deadlift 330 lbs. and aspires to do a powerlifting competition by the time she turns 30! You can reach Tiffany at tiffany.eggers@ushadvisors.com or connect with her on Facebook at Tiffany Eggers, USHealth Advisor
