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Cardiovascular Screening
What it is:
Cardiovascular diseases affect your heart or your blood vessels. High blood pressure, stroke and heart failure are cardiovascular diseases. So is coronary heart disease, which includes heart attack and chest pain (angina pectoris).
These diseases happen when fat and cholesterol clog the blood vessels (arteries) that send blood to the heart or brain.
Cardiovascular screenings such as blood tests check your cholesterol and other blood fat (lipid) levels.
Why screening is important:
High levels of cholesterol can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. These tests will tell if you have high cholesterol. You might be able to make lifestyle changes, like changing your diet, to lower your cholesterol and stay healthy.
Who is covered:
Anyone with Medicare is covered for this screening.
How often it’s covered:
The screening is generally covered once every 5 years. Ask your doctor how to get this screening.
What you pay:
You pay nothing for this service.
Learn more about cardiovascular screening on Medicare.gov.
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