Preventive care is medical care you receive before you have symptoms. The goal is to stop a problem from starting, or to catch it early while it is still simple to treat. It covers four categories: screenings, vaccines, counseling, and certain preventive medications. A blood pressure check, a colonoscopy, a flu shot, and a conversation about quitting smoking all count.

Most private health plans must cover these services with no copay and no deductible when the service carries an A or B recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Below is what falls inside that definition, plus the billing detail that surprises people most.

What Counts as Preventive Care

Your list depends on age, sex, family history, and risk factors. Immunizations and screening schedules look different at 25 than at 65. Children follow their own schedule, built around growth and development checks plus required school vaccines.

What Makes a Visit Preventive Instead of Diagnostic

This is where people get an unexpected bill. A visit is preventive when you have no symptoms and nothing new is being investigated. The moment your doctor evaluates a complaint, such as chest pain or a lump you noticed, that portion becomes diagnostic and normal cost sharing can apply.

Bring up new symptoms at your annual physical anyway. Just know the visit may be billed in two parts, and ask your plan how it handles that.

Is Preventive Care Still Covered at No Cost?

Yes. On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act requirement in a 6 to 3 decision. KFF estimates roughly 100 million privately insured people use these no cost services each year.

Final Thoughts

Preventive care means screenings, shots, counseling, and preventive medicine delivered before trouble starts.

Ask Yorktown Health Vernon Hills which services you are due for, and schedule preventive care in Vernon Hills this year.

Seeing the same doctor over time changes your health outcomes, not just your experience. A 2018 systematic review published in BMJ Open examined 22 high quality studies from nine countries. Eighteen of them, about 82 percent, found that patients with higher continuity of care had significantly lower death rates. The pattern held across very different health systems.

A regular doctor also improves the ordinary parts of care. You receive more of the screenings you are due for, you land in the hospital less often, and your history stays in one place instead of scattered across urgent care visits. Here is what the numbers show.

What the Research Says About Having a Regular Doctor

The Robert Graham Center analyzed federal survey data for the 2026 Primary Care Scorecard, co-funded by the Milbank Memorial Fund and The Physicians Foundation. Among adults living with chronic disease, having a usual source of primary care tracked with better results across the board.

Why One Doctor Beats a Series of Strangers

A doctor who has seen you for years knows your baseline. They notice when your blood pressure drifts, when your weight changes, or when a symptom does not fit your usual pattern. A clinician meeting you for the first time has none of that context.

Continuity also keeps chronic disease management on track, because medication changes and lab trends stay in one record.

How Many Americans Do Not Have a Regular Doctor

Nearly 30 percent of U.S. adults reported no usual source of care in 2023, according to the same Scorecard. That share has stayed near record highs for several years.

Final Thoughts

The evidence points one direction. Patients who stay with one doctor get more prevention, fewer hospital stays, and live longer.

If you’ve been relying on urgent care, Yorktown Health Vernon Hills is accepting new patients. Schedule an annual physical with a primary care provider in Vernon Hills and take the first step toward establishing ongoing care.

The main difference is age. Family medicine physicians care for patients of every age, from newborns through seniors. Internal medicine physicians, called internists, care for adults only, generally 18 and older. Both are primary care specialties. Both complete four years of medical school and three years of residency. Both handle physicals, vaccines, chronic disease, and everyday illness.

The split shows up in training. According to the American College of Physicians, internal medicine residents spend all three years on adult medicine, including rotations through the adult subspecialties. Family medicine residents divide their time across children, adults, older adults, and women’s health. Here is how the two compare.

Family Medicine vs Internal Medicine at a Glance

How the Training Differs in Practice

The American Academy of Family Physicians describes family medicine as care across the full life span, with heavy emphasis on continuity and prevention. Residents log a minimum number of encounters with both children and older adults.

Internal medicine goes deeper on adult disease. Internists rotate through cardiology, endocrinology, pulmonology, and other subspecialties, which builds detailed knowledge of conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Which One Should You Choose?

For a healthy adult, the practical difference is small. Choose based on who else needs care and how complex your health is.

• Pick family medicine if you want your children and your parents seen at the same practice.
• Pick internal medicine if you are an adult managing multiple long term conditions.
• Either works for routine physicals, vaccines, and common illness.

Yorktown Health Vernon Hills offers both. Dr. Shawn George, DO is an internal medicine physician. Clarissa Schroeder, DNP, FNP-C is a board certified family nurse practitioner who sees all ages.

Final Thoughts

Family medicine covers every age. Internal medicine covers adults in depth. Both deliver the same core primary care.

Ask which provider fits your household, then book primary care in Vernon Hills.

A primary care physician is the doctor who manages your overall health year after year. The job has four parts. Your PCP provides preventive care such as physicals, screenings, and vaccines. They manage long term conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. They diagnose and treat everyday illness and injury. And they coordinate the rest of your care, referring you to specialists and folding those results back into one record.

Your primary care doctor is the only clinician looking at your whole health picture instead of one organ or one problem. Here is what that work looks like in practice.

What Does a Primary Care Physician Do at a Typical Visit?

A primary care visit is tailored to your individual health needs. During an annual physical, your provider may check your blood pressure, review medications, discuss recommended screenings and vaccines, order lab work, and address any health concerns you may have. If additional care is needed, your provider can also recommend testing or refer you to a specialist.

A 2022 study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine measured the load. Researchers from the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, and Imperial College London found that following national guidelines for a panel of 2,500 adults would take 26.7 hours per day. With a care team sharing the work, that drops to 9.3 hours.

Why One Doctor Handles So Many Different Problems

Primary care is built for breadth. The same practice that treats your child’s ear infection manages your father’s heart failure. At Yorktown Health Vernon Hills, that range runs from well child exams through senior care.

Despite that reach, the Milbank Memorial Fund reported in its 2025 Primary Care Scorecard that primary care receives under 5 percent of total U.S. health care spending.

When Your PCP Sends You to a Specialist

A referral is not a handoff. Your primary care doctor picks the specialist, shares your history, and reviews the results so the plan fits your other conditions and medications.

Final Thoughts

A primary care physician helps you stay healthy through preventive care, treats illnesses when they arise, manages ongoing health conditions, and coordinates care when a specialist is needed. Having a consistent primary care provider also makes it easier to track changes in your health over time.

If you’re looking for a primary care doctor in Vernon Hills, schedule your first visit with Yorktown Health and establish care with our team.

Most seniors should see their doctor at least once a year for a wellness visit, and every 3 to 6 months if they manage a chronic condition. Medicare Part B covers one Annual Wellness Visit every 12 months at no cost when the provider accepts assignment. That yearly visit is the floor, not the target. CDC data from 2023 shows that 93 percent of adults 65 and older have at least one chronic condition, and nearly 79 percent have two or more. Those conditions need checking between annual visits. Below is a schedule based on health status, plus what Medicare pays for.

How Often Seniors Should Visit

These are typical schedules. Your provider sets the final plan based on how stable your conditions are.

What Medicare Covers Each Year

Medicare covers one Annual Wellness Visit every 12 months, measured from your last one rather than by calendar year. New enrollees also get a one-time Welcome to Medicare visit during their first 12 months on Part B. Both cost nothing when your provider accepts assignment.

One point causes confusion. The Annual Wellness Visit is not a head-to-toe physical exam. It covers a health risk questionnaire, height, weight, blood pressure, a medication review, and a cognitive check. If you want a full physical or need chronic disease management, that is a separate appointment.

Why You Should Report Every Fall

The CDC reports that more than 14 million adults 65 and older, roughly 1 in 4, fall each year, and fewer than half tell their doctor. Falls signal problems worth catching early, including medication side effects, weak balance, vision changes, and low blood pressure. Report every fall, even one that caused no injury.

Final Thoughts

Once a year is the minimum for seniors, and most people managing two or more conditions need visits every three to four months. Use your covered wellness visit, and bring a full list of medications plus any falls since your last appointment. Call Yorktown Health Vernon Hills to schedule your Annual Wellness Visit.

You can lower LDL cholesterol through diet by cutting saturated fat, eating more soluble fiber, and adding plant sterols. Used together, these changes can reduce LDL by 20 percent or more. The American Heart Association recommends keeping saturated fat under 6 percent of daily calories, which is about 13 grams on a 2,000-calorie diet. The National Cholesterol Education Program found that 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber daily lowers LDL by roughly 5 percent. Published meta-analyses of plant sterol trials show 2 grams daily lowers LDL by 8 to 10 percent. Diet alone will not be enough for everyone. Below are the foods that work, the amounts you need, and what results to expect.

How Much Each Diet Change Lowers LDL

Which Foods Lower Cholesterol Most

Focus on swaps rather than restriction. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat works better than simply eating less fat.

• Oats, barley, beans, lentils, apples, and pears for soluble fiber
• Psyllium husk, which delivers fiber in a concentrated dose
• Fortified spreads and yogurts for plant sterols, since whole foods rarely reach 2 grams
• Olive and canola oil in place of butter, lard, and coconut oil
• Almonds and walnuts in place of chips and crackers
• Fatty fish twice a week in place of red meat

What Diet Alone Cannot Fix

Food changes work best alongside regular testing. Genetics set a floor on how low your LDL can go, and some people need medication no matter how well they eat. If a parent or sibling had early heart disease, ask about a full lipid panel and a risk assessment. Ongoing cholesterol management tracks whether your changes are actually moving the numbers.

Final Thoughts

Cutting saturated fat, adding soluble fiber, and using sterol-fortified foods are the three changes with the strongest evidence behind them. Give them three months, then retest. Schedule a lipid panel with Yorktown Health Vernon Hills to see where you stand and build a plan around your results.

Prediabetes usually has no clear signs at all. That is the most important thing to know. According to the CDC, 115.2 million American adults have prediabetes, and 8 in 10 of them do not know it. When signs do appear, they are easy to dismiss: increased thirst, more frequent urination, fatigue, or patches of darkened, velvety skin on the neck or armpits. Because symptoms are unreliable, a blood test is the only way to confirm prediabetes. Catching it early matters, because prediabetes can often be reversed. Below are the signs worth noting, the test ranges that define prediabetes, and who should be screened.

Signs of Prediabetes You Might Notice

• Feeling thirstier than usual
• Urinating more often, including at night
• Tiredness that rest does not fix
• Darkened, velvety skin patches on the neck, armpits, or groin
• Blurred vision that comes and goes

Most people with prediabetes have none of these. Their absence proves nothing.

Blood Test Ranges That Confirm Prediabetes

Who Should Get Tested for Prediabetes

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening adults aged 35 to 70 who carry extra weight, repeated every three years. Test sooner if you have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes, had gestational diabetes, or have high blood pressure. A blood sugar check is a standard part of most annual physicals.

Can Prediabetes Be Reversed

Yes, and the evidence is strong. The Diabetes Prevention Program, a randomized trial cited by the CDC, found that losing 5 to 7 percent of body weight and reaching 150 minutes of activity per week cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. For people aged 60 and older, the reduction reached 71 percent. That beat metformin, which reduced risk by 31 percent in the same trial.

Final Thoughts

Waiting for symptoms is the wrong strategy, because prediabetes rarely produces any. A simple A1C test settles the question in one visit. If you are over 35 and carrying extra weight, talk with one of our providers at Yorktown Health Vernon Hills about checking your blood sugar at your next appointment. If your levels are high, your provider can discuss diabetes management options and next steps with you.

After 40, women need five core screenings: mammograms, cervical cancer screening, colorectal cancer screening, blood pressure and cholesterol checks, and blood sugar testing. Bone density testing usually starts at 65. In April 2024, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the starting age for mammograms to 40, with screening every other year through age 74. Colorectal cancer screening now begins at 45. Your own schedule may shift based on family history, past results, and current health, so these ages are a starting point rather than a fixed rule. Below is a breakdown of each screening, when to begin, and how often to repeat it.

Your Screening Schedule After 40

The American Cancer Society updated its cervical cancer guidance in December 2025 and recommends HPV testing every five years through 65. Blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar are usually checked together during an annual physical.

Why Mammograms Now Start at 40

The Task Force found that starting screening at 40 instead of 50 prevents more breast cancer deaths. Screening every other year keeps most of that benefit while cutting down on false alarms.222

Which Screenings Depend on Your Risk

Some tests are not on a fixed schedule. Bone density screening is recommended for every woman at 65, and earlier for postmenopausal women at higher fracture risk. About 27 percent of women 65 and older have osteoporosis. Thyroid testing, skin checks, and earlier mammograms may apply if close relatives had those conditions. A well-woman exam is where these calls get made, because your provider reviews your history and orders what fits you.

Final Thoughts

Turning 40 changes your screening schedule more than any other birthday. Mammograms begin, colorectal screening follows at 45, and blood sugar and cholesterol checks become routine. Book a visit with Yorktown Health Vernon Hills and bring your family history, so your provider can build the right schedule for you.

You can support your immune system naturally with simple daily habits: good sleep, healthy food, regular exercise, and less stress. There is no magic pill, but these steps help your body fight off germs. This guide shows you easy, proven ways to stay strong.

How to Boost Your Immune System Naturally

Your immune system is your body’s security team, working around the clock to keep germs out. Harvard Health notes that no single food or pill can supercharge it, but a healthy lifestyle helps it work its best.

Sleep Well

Sleep is when your body repairs and recharges. A UCSF study found that people who slept less than six hours a night were over four times more likely to catch a cold than those who slept more than seven. Aim for 7 to 9 hours. If rest is hard, treating sleep problems can help.

Eat the Rainbow

Fruits and veggies are full of vitamins that feed your immune cells. Aim for many colors on your plate, and pick foods with vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc. Drink plenty of water too.

Move Your Body

Exercise gets your blood and immune cells flowing. The CDC suggests about 150 minutes of activity each week. A brisk daily walk counts, no fancy gym needed.

Tame Your Stress

Long-term stress wears your defenses down. Deep breaths, hobbies, and time with loved ones help. Learning to handle stress-related conditions keeps your immune system steadier.

Habits That Weaken Your Immune System

Some habits drag your defenses down. Try to limit these:

• Smoking and heavy drinking
• Too much sugar and junk food
• Poor sleep, night after night
• Sitting all day

When to See a Doctor

Healthy habits do a lot, but they are not everything. Staying current on immunizations trains your body to fight specific germs. A yearly annual physical helps catch issues early. If you get sick often or feel run down, see your doctor.

Final Thoughts

You can boost your immune system naturally by sleeping well, eating colorful foods, moving daily, and managing stress. Small habits, done often, add up to strong defenses. Your body does the heavy lifting, so give it what it needs. If you want a plan that fits your life, the team at Yorktown Health in Vernon Hills is ready to help. Book a visit today.

Hypertension has two main stages, Stage 1 and Stage 2. Doctors also use other blood pressure groups, like normal, elevated, and a dangerous level called a hypertensive crisis. This guide breaks down each stage, the numbers behind it, and what it means for your health.

What Are the Stages of Hypertension?

Blood pressure has two numbers, the top (systolic) and the bottom (diastolic). Here is the full chart.

These ranges come from the American Heart Association, reaffirmed in the 2025 ACC/AHA guideline.

Elevated Blood Pressure

This is a warning sign, not high blood pressure yet. The top number sits between 120 and 129. Healthy habits now keep it from climbing.

Stage 1 Hypertension

Stage 1 means a reading of 130 to 139 over 80 to 89. Your doctor may start with lifestyle changes, and sometimes medicine. Small steps add up here.

Stage 2 Hypertension

Stage 2 means 140 over 90 or higher. This often needs healthy habits plus medicine. Steady hypertension management keeps your numbers in a safe zone.

Hypertensive Crisis

A reading above 180 over 120 is an emergency. With chest pain, trouble breathing, or numbness, call 911. Do not wait.

Why The Stages Matter

High blood pressure is sneaky. It often shows no signs, which is why people call it the silent killer. The CDC reports that nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, and many do not know it. Left alone, it raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage.

How To Lower Your Numbers

Here is the good news. You can take charge with a few simple steps:

1. Eat less salt and more fruits and veggies.
2. Move your body most days.
3. Keep a healthy weight.
4. Limit alcohol and quit smoking.
5. Sleep well and manage stress.

Regular annual physical visits help you catch changes early.

Final Thoughts

The stages of hypertension move from normal to elevated, then Stage 1, Stage 2, and a hypertensive crisis. Each step is a chance to act early. Check your numbers, build healthy habits, and lean on your care team. If your blood pressure needs a closer look, the team at Yorktown Health in Vernon Hills can help. Book a visit today.