SPECIAL SECTION // FOR YOUR HEALTH
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Taking control
Being your own health advocate puts you in charge of planning and decision making
by MALI ANDERSON
While the guidance of your health care provider is important, it is also essential to be your own health advocate. After all, you know your body best. Having your concerns, questions and preferences addressed is a vital step in making informed health care decisions—you will feel more confident as you move through treatment plans with improved medical literacy.
Bring questions to your appointments
Gone are the days when talking with a doctor was a one-way discussion. "Take time to write down questions so you and your health provider can prioritize your health concerns," says Dr. Melinda Ring, director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Northwestern University. "Ask if there are any evaluations that should be done to explore your health needs, given your personal health risks and goals."
Understand your insurance coverage
Taking time to understand your individual insurance can help you receive the care you need while sidestepping expensive bills. For instance, the Affordable Care Act mandates that private insurance companies cover colonoscopy screenings, without copays, from age 45 to 75. But if you have the procedure more than once within 10 years or use an out-of-network provider when an in-network provider was available, you could receive a bill.
Stay on top of preventive care
Be sure to schedule regular appointments and routine screenings. "It's important to realize that chronic diseases occur on a continuum," says Ring. "Often, by the time they are diagnosed, problems have been brewing for years. For example, a person doesn't become diabetic overnight; insulin resistance may start a decade or more before. Catching things early means you can take action to reverse them before developing permanent damage." Quick diagnoses and fast treatments lead to better health outcomes.