STD Tests For Elders To Be Paid By Medicare, Officials Explain

Screening tests for STDs in elders may be paid for by Medicare

Health officials in the United States are debating whether or not to include sexual disease tests for individuals covered by Medicare.

Medicare usually covers disabled and elderly individuals, and these sexual disease tests would screen for sexually transmitted infections including gonorrhea and syphilis.

Under this program, HIV tests are already paid for, and officials believe the addition of more screening methods may act as a preventative method.

One reason for this new suggestion is that life expectancy is increasing in the United States, and studies found individuals to be sexually active much later in life.

Health officials explain the testing of certain diseases would lower costs in the long run, as it may effectively prevent various expensive treatments from needing to take place.

Additionally, the screenings would protect individuals as well.

Discussions of testing for hepatitis B, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia are currently being posed by Medicare.

Nearly 50 million Americans are covered by Medicare, accounting for nearly 40 million people over 65 years old, and almost 8 million disabled individuals.