Medicare and Men’s Health: What You Need to Know

Medicare coverage is available to most Americans over age 65, but health concerns and lifestyle conditions can be quite different between genders. Certain illnesses, normal changes with aging and even likelihood of visiting a doctor can vary widely, with differences showing up with regularity along gender lines. We’ll be exploring a few questions in this article: Do men age differently than women, and how does this affect day-to-day health care?

Before we begin, it’s important to note that sex and gender exist on spectrums. However, this article primarily looks at cisgender (cis) men and women and the data that exists on aging and Medicare coverage for those groups. Being transgender or elsewhere on the sex/gender spectrum can affect life expectancy, overall health and experience of aging.

Next, we’ll take a look at how men age and at factors in their health, including Medicare’s role in supporting a vibrant life for decades!

Do Men Age Differently Than Women?

The short answer is yes, men age differently than women! This changes the experience of aging as well as overall lifespan. In nearly every part of the world, including the United States, men do not live as long as women. There are many theories about why this might be true. One is that men are more likely to postpone seeing a doctor when they begin to experience symptoms or when they feel like something in their body is not quite right. Men are also slightly less likely to have routine preventive care visits, including screenings and general testing.

Because men often delay visits with doctors and health care providers, minor concerns may have time to develop into serious issues requiring more difficult and expensive treatments. Earlier diagnosis often means better chance of recovery and fewer complications.

Health care visits aside, men experience aging in their bodies differently than women. For men, their aging is gradual over several decades, making changes feel very small — or not even noticeable in the short term. Women, by contrast, experience faster changes as they go through the years leading to menopause, after which their aging slows dramatically.

Over time, the experience of aging between genders will eventually catch up to each other — even shifting in favor of women as the years pass. This can have the effect of an 80-year-old man showing more signs of aging and lower relative health than an 80-year-old woman.

So, what can be done to support men’s health as they age? Lots! Let’s look at how Medicare can be a resource to each man’s health and well-being.

Medicare and Men — the Numbers

When it comes to the demographics of Medicare coverage, there are noticeable differences between the sexes. Men make up 44% of Medicare enrollees overall and 38% of Medicare enrollees over the age of 80. With men living an average of five years less than women, this makes sense. Men may also be likely to work longer, delaying enrollment in Medicare for several or more years after age 65.

In contrast to the shorter lifespan, men tend to have less chronic conditions than women. There’s a reason for this seeming contradiction. Overall, men tend to die younger from more serious conditions, such as heart disease and cancer (1.5x more likely than women!), whereas women live longer with conditions that are not fatal.

When it comes to Medicare coverage, men enjoy a whole range of benefits and financial protections from having health coverage. Even when retired on a pension or collecting Social Security, men enrolled in Medicare have access to many health-promoting services.

Another benefit is that Medicare enrollees tend to have less problems paying medical bills than those who have stayed on private insurance. Medicare is a huge source of reassurance for millions of men (and women). And for any gender, when income is a challenge, many older Americans are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Combining Medicaid and Medicare offers more coverage, right when it is needed.

Preventive Services for Men With Medicare

Medicare can be an excellent resource for men through specific preventive coverage and benefits that help support well-being.

Preventive and Screening Benefits

Men are eligible for important preventive services and screenings that can help extend their healthy years and promote the detection and early treatment of more serious medical problems. Here are examples of covered preventive services available to both men and women, with one male-only excepted noted:

• Blood pressure and cholesterol screening
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening for men at higher risk
• Type 2 diabetes screening
• Alcohol misuse and tobacco use counseling
• Annual Cardiovascular behavioral therapy visit — helps identify risk factors and counsel interventions such as diet changes or aspirin use when appropriate
• Colorectal cancer screening (for all over age 50)
• Sexually transmitted infections counseling for sexually active adults
• Annual prostate cancer screening (all men over age 50)

NOTE: Many other preventive care services, from cancer screenings to vaccinations and more, are covered for all genders under Medicare. One resource to see these services listed in a helpful brochure format is the Health & Human Services official document, “Your Guide to Medicare Preventive Services.” The official Medicare website also has a page for Preventive & Screening Services.

Other Benefits Under Medicare

Original Medicare offers additional benefits beyond preventive care, like basic medical and hospital coverage. One overlooked benefit is the balance exam: a screening to identify any balance issues that might affect daily living or fall risk. Another is a hearing exam. It’s true that original Medicare does not cover hearing aids, but Medicare will cover your hearing test — if your doctor recommends it.

Because original Medicare has no limit on out-of-pocket spending and the percentage you will pay for covered services is 20% coinsurance, costs can add up quickly. It’s important to learn about coverage options, including those that will help to limit premiums and maximum out-of-pocket costs. Many men choose to add supplemental health coverage in the form of Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement or prescription drug coverage to help manage their costs.

Conclusion

The differences between Medicare-aged men’s and women’s concerns are real. Understanding relative factors in health and illness for aging male bodies is crucial to the long-term enjoyment of your retirement years.

We hope we’ve given you an overview of what you need to know about men’s aging and how Medicare coverage helps men. If you have any questions about Medicare or Medicare coverage, please feel free to give us a call. One of our PlanEnroll agents will be happy to help you. Call us to speak with a licensed insurance agent today.

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