Prevention and the Brethren Medical Plan
The Brethren Medical plan offers an exceptional and comprehensive schedule for preventive care. Below you will find an explanation and summary of these screenings, procedures, and immunizations. For a complete list follow the instructions at the end of this article. (Note: this is written for members of the Brethren Medical Plan, but if you are not a member of that plan, this article might encourage you to check the preventive benefits your own plan offers.)
 
Preventive care for you as an adult

The preventive or routine care offered by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield through the Brethren Medical Plan helps you stay well and address problems when they are easier to treat. The preventive guidelines depend on your age, gender, health, and family history. As a part of your health plan, you may be eligible to receive some of these preventive benefits with little or no cost sharing when using in-network providers. Some services and their frequency may depend on your doctor’s advice.
 
The plan offers regular checkups including a routine checkup every 1-2 years if you are between 19 and 49, and a yearly checkup if you are 50 or older. Depression screening is offered once a year, as is a pelvic and breast exam. There are 15 different screening/procedures offered, ranging from abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, to breast cancer and colon cancer screening, to diabetes and osteoporosis screening. The plan offers 11 different immunizations ranging from chicken pox and tetanus, to Hepatitis A and B, to Shingles (some requiring doctor’s advice). Further, there are preventive drug measures, preventive care for pregnant women, and measures to prevent obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. (For more information follow the instructions at the end of this article.)
Preventive care for your children

Preventive or routine care helps your child stay well and helps you find problems early, when they are easier to treat. Most of these services may not have cost sharing if you use the plan’s in-network providers. It’s important to talk with your child’s doctor. The frequency of services, and schedule of screenings and immunizations depends on what the doctor thinks is right for your child.

For children, birth to 2-1/2 years -- they offer a comprehensive list that includes screening for hearing, autism, congenital heart disease, eyesight, and lead. Ten different immunizations are offered including chicken pox, flu, pneumonia, polio, measles, and mumps.

For children and youth, 3 years to 18 years -- they offer routine checkups, blood pressure monitoring, and screening for depression hearing, visual, lead, and cholesterol. Nine different immunizations are offered including chicken pox, flu, mumps and measles, pneumonia, and polio. Care and screening are offered for patients with such risk factors as cholesterol, fluoride, hepatitis, tuberculosis, or sexually transmitted diseases.

For children 6 months to 18 years -- there is an oral fluoride preventive drug measure for those whose primary water is deficient in fluoride. There are measures to prevent obesity and heart disease for children with a BMI in the 95th percentile or higher, and there is a diabetes prevention program for young adults age 18 and up. (For more information follow the instructions at the end of this article.)
Preventive care especially for women

There are “Well-Women Visits,” (up to four each year), for age and developmentally appropriate services. They include preconception, first prenatal visit, and urinary incontinence screening, as well as discussions of contraception. Further, additional screenings offered include gestational diabetes screening (for pregnant women and for postpartum women), yearly HIV screening, and domestic violence screening and discussion for sexually active women.


2020 Preventive schedule comprehensive list

If you are a member of the Brethren Medical Plan click here to go to the Highmark sight to see a comprehensive list of the entire 2020 Preventive Schedule. Some of these services may depend on your doctor’s advice. Be sure to discuss them with your doctor or your child’s doctor.