Stanford Vascular & Endovascular Care in the News
Are you missing your screening test for AAA disease?
Many Medicare beneficiaries are not taking advantage of this free testing opportunity for screening
Although up to 60% of new Medicare beneficiaries are potentially eligible to receive a one-time screening test for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease, a leading cause of sudden death in mature Americans, fewer than 10% of eligible men are actually being screened, according to new research being published next month from Stanford.
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To make an appointment for the screening test, have your physician call us at (650) 725-5227.
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Although there are many possible explanations for this dramatic underutilization of a life-saving test, probably the most likely is the simple fact that patients, and often their doctors, may not realize that all men who have smoked more than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime are eligible for a one-time screening AAA ultrasound within the first year of eligibility for Medicare (over age 65), if the study is ordered as part of their "Welcome to Medicare" physical exam and evaluation visit by their primary MD.
Women are also eligible, if they have a significant family history of aortic aneurysm or AAA disease. The eligibility criteria are somewhat complex; for more information on eligibility please contact us. These studies are performed daily at the Stanford Vascular Clinic and Stanford Vascular Laboratory.
Additional Resources
• Learn more about abdominal aortic aneurysms »
The accompanying article by Matthew W. Mell, MD, MS, a vascular surgeon at Stanford, his colleagues at Stanford, and the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was published online on September 17th, 2012, and was previously presented in part at the 2012 American Heart Association Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
Download the full article: "Impact of the Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Very Efficiently (SAAAVE) Act on Abdominal Ultrasonography Use Among Medicare Beneficiaries."
Are you looking for treatment opportunities for aneurysms that don't require surgery? Medical treatment alone for abdominal aortic aneurysms may be an effective option, particularly for small aneurysms. Find out if you are qualified to participate in our open clinical trials »