Poster
03-23-2005, 10:37 AM
Counseling to help quit smoking will be covered under Medicare to seniors who suffer from heart or lung disease, weak bones, cataracts, or other disease cause or worsened by tobacco use. Medicare officials say that the elderly can still improve their health at the ages of 65 or older even if they have smoked for years by quitting smoking.
John Clymer, president of the coalition, said talking with patients can provide an inexpensive way to curb the habit and eventually save on other costs. "We also expect that, over 10 years, this is going to ... prevent over 30,000 premature deaths, and it's cheap," he said.
"Because there are so many tobacco-related illnesses and adverse health effects from tobacco use, the AMA believes the majority of seniors who smoke will be covered under the new Medicare policy," said AMA trustee Ronald Davis.
For more information see: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=605160
John Clymer, president of the coalition, said talking with patients can provide an inexpensive way to curb the habit and eventually save on other costs. "We also expect that, over 10 years, this is going to ... prevent over 30,000 premature deaths, and it's cheap," he said.
"Because there are so many tobacco-related illnesses and adverse health effects from tobacco use, the AMA believes the majority of seniors who smoke will be covered under the new Medicare policy," said AMA trustee Ronald Davis.
For more information see: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=605160