Provider using a stethoscope on a child with a parent near.

Preventive Services Checklists

The right screenings and checkups at the right time can help you stay healthier. Whether it's a well-child visit, annual wellness exam, mammogram, cholesterol check or colonoscopy, preventive care helps detect potential health concerns before they become more serious.

No matter how healthy you are today, take advantage of the wellness benefits within your Avera Health Plans insurance plan.

Available Preventive Services by Age

These benefits connect to your employees’ lives so they can make the most of each day. Some of our employee health insurance highlights include:

Women

Visits

Visits Recommended Age
Annual well visit with your PCP and/or annual well woman preventive visit with an OB/GYN 18 and older

Vaccines

Vaccines Recommended Age
COVID-19 18 and older
Flu shot (every fall) 18 and older
Hepatitis B 19-49, 50 and older²
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)² 9-45
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)² 18 and older
Meningococcal 18 and older
Pneumonia 19-49², 50 and older
Polio (IPV) 18 and older
RSV 50-74², pregnancy³, 75 and older
Shingles 19-49², 50 and older
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Td/Tdap every 10 years) 18 and older
Varicella (2 doses per lifetime) 18 and older

Screenings

Screenings Age / Frequency
Anxiety disorder screening 18 - 64
Aspirin for women who are 12 weeks gestation or more who are at risk of preeclampsia 18 and older
Bacteriuria screening for pregnant women 12 to 16 weeks gestation or at first prenatal visit 18 and older
Blood pressure 18 and older
Blood sugar (diabetes) 18 and older
Body mass index (BMI) / obesity 18 and older
BRCA risk assessment in women with a personal or family history of breast, ovarian, tubal or peritoneal cancer or ancestry associated with BRCA1/2 gene mutations 18 and older
Breast cancer (mammogram) Baseline once between ages 35-39
40-74, every year
Breast cancer preventive medications for those at increased risk 18 and older
Breastfeeding support, supplies and counseling during pregnancy and after birth 18 and older
Cervical cancer (Pap smear, HPV testing) 21-65
Chlamydia infection screening in women at increased risk 24 and older
Cholesterol preventive medication 40-752
Cholesterol screening (with screening diagnosis) 18 and older

Colon cancer

  • Cologuard once every 3 years
  • Colonoscopy once every 10 years
  • CT colonography once every 5 years
  • Fecal occult blood test annually
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy once every 5 years
 45-75
Contraceptive methods approved by the FDA for females, including education and counseling 18 and older
Depression and suicide risk 18 and older, pregnant and postpartum women
Fall prevention 65 and older
Folic acid supplementation (0.4 to 0.8 mg) in women who plan on or are capable of becoming pregnant 18 and older
Gestational diabetes screening in pregnant women after 24 weeks of gestation 18 and older
Gonorrhea screening in all sexually active women 24 and older
Healthy weight counseling2 18 and older with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher2
Hepatitis B2 18 and older, pregnant women
Hepatitis C 18-79
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in adults not currently infected with HIV who are at high risk of acquiring HIV infection 18 and older
HIV screening 18-65
Intimate partner violence 18 and older
Lung cancer in adults with a 20 pack/year smoking history who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years 50-802
Osteoporosis Once, 50 and older
Rh incompatibility screening for pregnant women during their first pregnancy-related visit and at 24-28 weeks in women who are Rh negative
Sexually transmitted infection counseling in adults at risk 18 and older
Skin cancer counseling in adults up to 24 years of age who have fair skin to reduce their risk of skin cancer 18-24
Syphilis screening for all pregnant women 18 and older
Tobacco, drug and alcohol use screening 18 and older
Tuberculosis 18 and older
Unhealthy alcohol and drug use screening and counseling 18 and older

Men

Visits

Visits Recommended Age
Annual well visit with your PCP 18 and older

Vaccines

Vaccines Recommended Age
COVID-19 18 and older
Flu shot (every fall) 18 and older
Hepatitis B 19-49, 50 and older2
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)2 9-45
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)2 18 and older
Meningococcal 18 and older
Pneumonia 19-492, 50 and older
Polio (IPV) 18 and older
RSV 50-742, 75 and older
Shingles 19-492, 50 and older
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Td/Tdap every 10 years) 18 and older
Varicella (2 doses per lifetime) 18 and older

Screenings

Screenings Age / Frequency
Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening (one time) 65-75
Anxiety disorder screening 18-64
Blood pressure 18 and older
Blood sugar (diabetes) 18 and older
Body mass index (BMI) / obesity 18 and older
Cholesterol preventive medication 40-752
Cholesterol screening (with screening diagnosis) 18 and older

Colon cancer

  • Cologuard once every 3 years
  • Colonoscopy once every 10 years
  • CT colonography once every 5 years
  • Fecal occult blood test annually
  • Flexible sigmoidoscopy once every 5 years
 45-75
Depression and suicide risk 18 and older
Fall prevention 65 and older
Healthy weight counseling2 18 and older with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher2
Hepatitis B2 18 and older, pregnant women
Hepatitis C 18-79
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in adults not currently infected with HIV who are at high risk of acquiring HIV infection 18 and older
HIV screening 18-65
Lung cancer in adults with a 20 pack/year smoking history who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years 50-802
Prostate cancer screening 45-49 for high risk
50 and older annually
Sexually transmitted infection counseling in adults who are at risk 18 and older
Skin cancer counseling in adults up to 24 years of age who have fair skin to reduce their risk of skin cancer 18-24
Tobacco, drug and alcohol use screening 18 and older
Tuberculosis 18 and older
Unhealthy alcohol and drug use screening and counseling 18 and older

Children (Birth to 10 Years)

Well-Child Exams and Vaccines

Well-Child Exams / Vaccines Age / Schedule
COVID-19 (series and booster) 6 months or older
Exam and Hepatitis B Birth – first outpatient visit
Exam 1 month
Exam, DTaP-Hib (3 or 4 doses), IPV, PCV-15 or 20 (4 doses), Hepatitis B (1-2 months), Rotavirus (2-3 doses) 2 months
Exam, DTaP-Hib-IPV (6-18 months), PCV-15 or 20, Hepatitis B (6-18 months), flu shot, Rotavirus 6 months
Exam 9 months
Exam, anemia test, possible TB and lead tests, MMR (12-18 months), Varicella (12-15 months), Hepatitis A 12 months
Exam, DTaP (15-18 months), Hib (12-15 months), PCV-15 or 20 (12-15 months) 15 months
Exam, flu shot, Hepatitis A (12-23 months, 2 doses)2 18 months
Exam and Hepatitis A2 24 months
Exam and flu shot 3 years
Exam, flu shot, DTaP (4-6 years), Polio (4-6 years), MMR (4-6 years), Varicella (4-6 years) 4 years
Exam and flu shot 5 years
Exam and flu shot (exams every 1-2 years, flu shot annually) 6-10 years
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)3 9-12 years
PCV-15 or 20 with any risk condition who have not received PCV-13, 15 or 20 6-18 years
RSV (RSV-maB Nirsevimab or Clesrovimab) 1st dose: Birth – 8 months4
2nd dose: 8-19 months4
Tdap 11-12 years

Screenings

Screenings Age / Frequency
Behavioral health and wellness screening 8-10 years5
Body mass index (BMI) 2 years and older
Dental caries Birth – 5 years
Hepatitis B Birth – 10 years
Obesity 6 years and older
Skin cancer behavioral counseling 6 months – 10 years
Vision 3-5 years, at least once

Adolescents (11-17 Years)

Exams and Vaccines

Exams / Vaccines Recommended Age
Yearly well visit with your adolescent’s doctor 11-17
COVID-19 (series and booster)8 11 and older
Flu shot (every fall) 11 and older
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)2 11-17
Meningococcal First dose: 11-12
Second dose: 16-17
Pneumococcal (Pneumonia) 11-173
RSV Pregnant females4
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) 11-12 and pregnant females at 27-36 weeks

Screenings

Screenings Age / Frequency
Behavioral health and wellness screening 11 and older7
Body mass index (BMI) 11 and older
Cardiac arrest6 11 and older
Depression and suicide risk 12 and older
HIV3 15 and older
Obesity 11 and older
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)5 Sexually active adolescents who are at increased risk for STIs
Skin cancer 11 and older
Tobacco, drug and alcohol use counseling 11 and older

Schedule Well Checks in Avera MyChart

With Avera MyChart, it’s easy to see preventive services available through your health insurance plan and schedule an appointment with your existing primary care provider.

See What's Available in MyChart

Schedule in Avera MyChart

See all the preventive services available to you in your health insurance plan and schedule an appointment with your primary care provider today.

Log in to MyChart

1 The information in these checklists includes recommendations adapted from the following sources as of September 2025 and is subject to change: Preventive services with a rating of A or B from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; immunization for children, adolescents and adults recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and preventive care screenings for infants, children, adolescents and women supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
2 2 or 3 doses, depending on age at initial vaccination. Routinely recommended at age 11 – 12 years but can start at 9 years based on risk and be given through age 18.
3 Based on risk factors, and as advised by your doctor.
4 Reach out to your doctor for details. Pregnancy at 32 – 36 weeks during the months of September – January.
5 Counseling for all sexually active adolescents recommended.
6 Recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics from middle school through age 21 at an interval of every 2 – 3 years.
7 Children between the ages of 8 and 18 can get a free behavioral health and wellness screening every year. This screening can help find signs of depression, anxiety and other common conditions for early treatment. If you would like your child screened, please schedule a preventive care visit with their doctor.
8 You are eligible for the series and booster: all who are 11-17 years with risk factors or who were never vaccinated against COVID-19, all who are in close contact with others with risk factors and all who choose protection, including all who are planning pregnancy, pregnant, postpartum or lactating.
9 For more information about vaccine schedules, please visit cdc.gov/vaccines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which preventive services are covered by my health insurance?

Checkups with your primary care provider or family doctor are vital to long-term wellness. Yearly checkups are covered by insurance for most plans at zero cost to you. Contact your health insurer with any questions about coverage for preventive services.

Are preventive services important if I’m healthy and fit?

Yes, even if you feel fine, you should still see your doctor for regular checkups. The only way you'll know if you have high blood pressure, prediabetes or other concerns is with periodic screenings and tests.

Why are well-child visits recommended?

Scheduling vaccinations and regular well-child visits with a doctor early on is the best way to ensure your child is healthy.

Well-child visits help:

  • Prevent illness and injuries.
  • Track your child’s growth and development.
  • Protect your child from serious illnesses like measles, mumps, severe pneumonia and even some types of cancer.

Recommended well-child visits and preventive immunizations are covered benefits under your health plan.

Which vaccines do I need?

The vaccines you need vary by age. Talk to your doctor or find quick and simple answers in our helpful checklists above.

Your doctor’s office will be able to provide most vaccinations to you. Call or use Avera MyChart to schedule an appointment. Some vaccinations are also commonly available at most retail pharmacy locations.

Can a sports physical take the place of my child’s yearly checkup?

No. While sports physicals make sure student athletes are in top physical condition to compete, they are not a substitute for a yearly checkup.

© Avera Health Plans, All Rights Reserved. This is a solicitation of insurance. An Agent may contact you. A Plan G policy may not cover all of your medical expenses. Premiums can only increase if we raise the premium for all policies like yours in this state. Neither Avera Health Plans nor its agents are connected with Medicare or state or federal government. *Avera Health Plans may offer certain health support services/value-added services, for a fee or for no fee. These services and/or enhanced benefits are not an insured benefit and may be removed at any time. Product availability, features and pricing may vary by state due to local regulations and distribution differences. 

AVHP-1124101