September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month [cid:[email protected]] <http://zerocancer.org/index.html>
Please join with CMS in raising awareness and knowledge about prostate cancer and the prostate cancer screenings covered by Medicare. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States, after lung cancer. Medicare provides coverage of two types of prostate cancer screenings. Medicare provides coverage for Digital Rectal Exams (DREs) and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood tests once every 12 months for all male beneficiaries aged 50 and older. The DRE must be performed by a physician or non-physician practitioner who is authorized under state law to perform the examination; the PSA blood test must be ordered by the patient's physician or qualified non-physician practitioner. Both screenings are covered under Medicare as a Part B benefit. What Can You Do? As a provider of healthcare to men with Medicare you can help your patients make an informed decision about prostate cancer screening: § Talk with your patients about the nature and risk of prostate cancer. § Share current information about prostate cancer screenings with them. § Inform them about the prostate screenings covered by Medicare that may be appropriate for them. For More Information: § The Guide to Medicare Preventive Services<http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/mps_guide_web-061305.pdf>, Chapter 12 § Medicare Preventive Services Quick Reference Information Chart<https://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MPS_QuickReferenceChart_1.pdf> § Cancer Screenings Brochure for Physicians, Providers, Suppliers, and Other Healthcare Professionals<https://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/cancer_screening.pdf> § Center for Disease Control and Prevention Prostate Cancer website<http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/> § Prostate Cancer Awareness Month website<http://zerocancer.org/index.html> Thank you for joining with CMS to help increase awareness and knowledge about prostate cancer and prostate cancer screenings so that men can make informed decisions that are right for them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vaccinate Early to Protect Against the Flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. Remind your patients that annual vaccination is recommended for optimal protection. Medicare pays for the flu vaccine and its administration for seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries with no co-pay or deductible. Take advantage of each office visit and start protecting your patients as soon as your 2011-2012 seasonal flu vaccine arrives. And, don't forget to immunize yourself and your staff. Get the Flu Vaccination -- Not the Flu. Remember - Influenza vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. Note that influenza vaccine is NOT a Part D covered drug. For information about Medicare's coverage of the influenza vaccine and its administration, as well as related educational resources for health care professionals and their staff, please visit http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.asp. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: If you have problems accessing any hyperlink in this message, please copy and paste the URL into your Internet browser. If you know someone who would like to subscribe to a Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) provider listserv, go to (http://www.cms.gov/prospmedicarefeesvcpmtgen/downloads/Provider_Listservs.pdf). If you would like to unsubscribe from a specific provider listserv, please go to (https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa.exe?INDEX) to unsubscribe or to leave the appropriate listserv. Please DO NOT respond to this email. This email is a service of CMS and routed through an electronic mail server to communicate Medicare policy and operational changes and/or updates. Responses to this email are not routed to CMS personnel. Inquiries may be sent by going to (http://www.cms.gov/ContactCMS). Thank you.
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