healthnotes TRICAREUPDA+E
OBESITY CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR HEALTH RISK for millions of Americans. While many remedies fail to reduce weight substantially, improved bariatric surgical procedures are becoming increasingly popular. A sleeve gastrectomy is a laparoscopic bariatric surgical procedure used to help individuals struggling with obesity. The surgery involves mak- ing small incisions on the abdomen and, using surgical tools, removing approximately 75-80 percent of the patient’s stomach, leaving it in the shape of a sleeve. In December 2015, TRICARE began
covering sleeve gastrectomies for ben- eficiaries. Previously, TRICARE only covered a few surgeries to treat obesity. This left individuals wanting a sleeve gastrectomy covering the cost on their own or opting for an alternative surgery. Some of the other procedures covered by TRICARE include gastroplasty, ad- justable gastric banding, and biliopan- creatic diversion. Surgery is considered a last resort in fighting excess weight. Therefore, specific conditions must be met before TRICARE will cover a bariatric proce- dure. Patients must be at least 18 years old and their health records must show unsuccessful attempts at treating obe- sity with nonsurgical options. Addition- ally, those interested must have a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 40 kilograms per meter squared (kg/ m2) or a BMI of 35-39.9 kg/m2 with one clinically significant comorbidity. To learn more about TRICARE-
covered bariatric surgeries and their re- quirements, visit
http://bit.ly/29u4kot. — Joseph Eisenmann, MOAA member service representative
Prostate Cancer
is the most common
non-skin cancer and the second-lead- ing cause of cancer-related death in men in the U.S.
The risk factors for pros-
tate cancer include increasing age and a family history of prostate cancer.
Rates for new prostate can- cer cases have been falling on average
5.1%
each year over the past 10 years.
African-American men have a higher incidence rate than, and at least twice the mor- tality rate of, men of other racial or ethnic groups.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein pro- duced by cells of the prostate gland. PSA tests measure the level of PSA in a man’s blood, which could indicate whether or not a patient has prostate cancer. Experts suggest speaking with your physician regarding potential harms and limitations of PSA testing before undergoing the screening.
TRICARE covers exams and screenings for prostate cancer and recommends annual PSA testing and a digital rectal exam for all men: age 50 years and older; age 45 and older with a family history of prostate cancer in at least one other family member;
age 40 and older with a family history of prostate cancer in two or more family members; and all African-American men age 45 and older, regardless of family history. For more information on TRICARE-covered services, visit
http://bit.ly/29BOxFd.
Standard treat- ments for prostate cancer include watchful waiting (sometimes used when risks of treat- ment are greater than the possible benefits) or active surveillance (watching a patient’s con- dition and moving toward treatment when symp- toms worsen), surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, che- motherapy, biological therapy, and bisphos- phonate therapy.
Approximately
of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point during their life- time, based on 2010-12 data.
14%
24 MILITARY OFFICER SEPTEMBER 2016
SOURCE: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE SURVEILLANCE, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND END RESULTS PROGRAM
IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK; INFOGRAPHIC, ROSE RICHEY
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120