We’ve all heard the old adage ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Essentially, leave something alone; avoid attempting to correct, fix, or improve what is already sufficient. Unfortunately for many Americans, they take this approach to their health. According to a recent study, 80 percent of Americans delay or forgo preventative care. The number increases to 93 percent when surveying Millennials, which is alarming.

Preventive or routine care is simply a proactive way to go about healthcare. These “well-visits” help establish a baseline for many health concerns later in life, and improve opportunities for identifying risk factors. Essentially, catching a problem early and mitigating the risk before it manifests into a much bigger (and more expensive) problem down the road. Sadly, the cost of healthcare is often a barrier to seeking treatment. This is why the Affordable Care Act (ACA), mandated that health plans must cover a set of preventive services — like shots and screening tests — at no cost to you.

In particular, the ACA wanted ensure women were taking care of their reproductive health by ensuring preventive care benefits for women. All ACA plans and many other plans must cover the above list of preventive services for women without charging a co-payment or coinsurance. This is true even if you haven’t met your yearly deductible. So today we recognize National Call Your Doctor Day – to encourage young women to schedule their FREE annual Well-Woman Exam.

According to WebMd, the top 5 health concerns for women specifically are heart disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and autoimmune diseases. Along with physical health, mental health plays a huge part in your overall wellness. If you’re depressed, you can still experience physical pains such as headaches, cramps or digestive problems which of course could lead to something more severe if not caught early on. Depression = Stress, and Stress weakens your immune system leaving your health in a vulnerable state. Women are twice as likely to develop clinical depression as men. During your routine visits, it’s important to share how you are mentally doing as well. A lot can change in life in a week, let alone a year so give yourself the gift of taking care of you and call ALL of your doctors. Not sure if your mental health is in check? Mental Health Matters is a great website with resources to learn more about your mental health.

HOW TO OBSERVE #CallYourDoctorDay
Call your doctor and make an appointment for a Well-Woman Exam. Encourage your friends and family to do the same by using #CallYourDoctorDay to share on social media.

You can also check out these 7 Simple Ways To Improve Your Health, too. It will be a great read before your doctor’s appointment.