Preventive Health Guidelines

Capital Health Plan provides access to recommendations for screening tests, counseling, and immunizations to help prevent illness.

Current recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) are summarized here (pdf 165.29 kB) in a guideline adopted by CHP's Quality Improvement Committee.

The topics in the guideline are updated as new research becomes available. To see detailed, current USPSTF recommendations specific to you, click here and choose "Search for Recommendations" from the menu on the left.

To browse by topic, and see detail related to each one, click here.

The USPSTF, an independent, non-governmental panel of experts in prevention and primary care, was convened by the Public Health Service to rigorously evaluate clinical research in order to assess the merits of preventive measures. Their recommendations are given a "grade" according to how strongly they are supported by scientific evidence.

Grade A and Grade B services are recommended.
Grade C are not routinely recommended, but may be appropriate for some people.
Grade D services are NOT recommended because possible harms are deemed to outweigh benefits.

Do keep in mind that these are recommendations for care for people that do not have symptoms of a particular health problem. For example, a guideline for mammography screening would not apply to a woman with breast related symptoms. Any decisions related to tests and care for you are made in consultation with your primary care physician.