Protect Medicare Van Touts Program

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Medicare isn’t there for you only when you’re sick. The health care program offers a slew of preventive services as well, including immunizations for older patients, who are especially vulnerable to influenza.

The AARP Protect Medicare van is crisscrossing North Carolina this summer, reminding residents of the benefits Medicare offers and the battle to defend it. Preventive services under Medicare include screenings for colorectal cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses. The program covers flu shots because influenza can be serious and even deadly in high-risk groups. North Carolina experienced a spike in flu cases earlier this year, with older adults hit the hardest.

To learn more about Medicare’s preventive services, visit cms.gov. To sign up for AARP advocacy alerts, go to action.aarp.org.