Preventive Schedule
Both of the Penn State Aetna health plans include a specific preventive service schedule with recommendations for health screenings. Aetna closely follows preventive screening schedules for adults that are based on recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
It is important to understand the difference between preventive and diagnostic care. When visitng a doctor for a routine checkup, a physican will sometimes prescribe certain tests, even though the patient is asymptomatic (not experiencing symptoms). In this event, it is recommended that the patient discuss Aetna’s preventive schedule in order to determine if/how the prescribed testing is listed on the schedule. If the doctor indicates that it is his/her practice to order testing not listed on the preventive schedule, then the patient should review his/her financial responsibility for the prescribed testing.