From the Guidelines
For male Medicare wellness, it is recommended to order the following exams:
- Lipid profile to assess cardiovascular risk
- Fasting blood glucose or hemoglobin A1c to screen for diabetes
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE) for prostate cancer screening, starting at age 50 1
- Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening, starting at age 50 1
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening via ultrasound, starting at age 65
- Bone density test to assess osteoporosis risk, starting at age 65 or 70
- Vaccinations such as influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B as recommended by age and risk factors. These exams are recommended based on guidelines from reputable sources, including the American Cancer Society 1, to help detect and prevent various health conditions in male Medicare beneficiaries. Regular health checkups and screenings can help identify potential health issues early on, allowing for timely interventions and improved health outcomes 1.
From the Research
Exams for Male Patient's Medicare Wellness Visit
The following exams are recommended for a male patient's Medicare wellness visit:
- Blood pressure screening 2, 3
- Height and weight measurements to calculate body mass index 2, 3
- Lipid screening for men 40 to 75 years of age 2 or for all men 35 years and older, and in men 20 to 34 years of age who have cardiovascular risk factors 3
- One-time screening ultrasonography for detection of abdominal aortic aneurysm in men 65 to 75 years of age who have ever smoked 2, 3
- Screening for prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen testing in men 55 to 69 years of age, individualized using shared decision making 2
- Screening for colorectal cancer starting at 50 years of age for average-risk men and continuing until at least 75 years of age, with options including fecal immunochemical testing, colonoscopy, or computed tomography colonography 2, 3, 4
- Lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography in men 55 to 80 years of age who have at least a 30-pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years 2
Additional Recommendations
- Update immunizations according to guidelines from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices 2, 3
- Screen for diabetes mellitus in men with sustained blood pressures greater than 135/80 mm Hg 3
- Consider the combination of prostate-specific antigen and digital rectal examination for improving the stage of diagnosis of patients with prostate cancer 5