Overview: Medicare and Prevention

With the passage of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has become a more prevention-oriented agency. This law provided coverage for new primary, secondary, and tertiary preventive benefits, including an initial preventive physical examination for Medicare beneficiaries newly enrolled in Part B, diabetes and cardiovascular disease screening tests, prescription drugs, and the Medicare Health Support Program to help chronically ill people manage their conditions. CMS’ more intense focus on prevention is timely, given several positive and negative trends.