As the calendar turns to a new year, public health experts and physicians are urging Americans to make preventive care and health screenings a priority, emphasizing that regular checkups and early detection can significantly reduce the burden of chronic disease. Preventive care — defined as routine medical services designed to identify health problems before they become serious — plays a central role in reducing illness and saving lives, experts say, but gaps in utilization persist across racial and ethnic groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that preventive services include screenings for conditions like cancer, cardiovascular risks, and diabetes, as well as vaccines and health education to help people make informed decisions about their health.

Public health studies suggest that regular screenings not only help detect diseases early but also provide opportunities to manage risk factors that often show no outward symptoms. For example, high blood pressure and high cholesterol — two leading contributors to heart disease, which remains a leading cause of death in the United States — often develop silently and only show up in screening tests. Detecting these conditions early can lead to interventions that prevent more severe outcomes such as heart attacks or strokes.

Despite the clear benefits, research indicates that preventive care has not fully rebounded from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with wellness visits and routine screenings lagging behind pre-pandemic levels. A cross-sectional national study published in JAMA Health Forum found that the proportion of U.S. adults receiving common preventive screenings — such as blood pressure checks, cholesterol testing, and cancer screenings — remained lower in 2021 and 2022 compared with 2019, even after accounting for cost barriers to care. The study also noted variation across racial and ethnic groups in screening rates, with Black and Hispanic adults experiencing significant declines in colorectal and breast cancer screenings.

Health disparities in preventive services are not new, and they reflect broader inequities in access to care. Longstanding obstacles such as lack of reliable transportation, underinsurance or lack of health coverage, limited time off from work, and lower health literacy have been documented as key factors that reduce the likelihood that individuals will seek preventive care. According to clinicians quoted in the Mayo Clinic News Network, these barriers are particularly pronounced for African American communities, contributing to lower screening uptake and delayed diagnoses.

The Affordable Care Act’s preventive services coverage mandate has helped remove financial barriers for many Americans by requiring that insurers cover evidence-based screenings without cost-sharing, a protection recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. In its June 2025 ruling, the Court preserved a key part of the law that ensures preventive services — including cancer screenings, HIV prevention, and statins to reduce cardiovascular risk — remain fully covered for millions of people. Advocates say this coverage is essential for encouraging adults to keep up with recommended screenings and preventive visits.

Health authorities also highlight evolving recommendations and expanded screening options designed to improve accessibility and participation. For example, updated federal guidance now supports self-collected human papillomavirus (HPV) tests for cervical cancer screening, which can be performed at home or in clinical settings and are expected to increase screening rates — particularly among women who face traditional barriers to care. The Department of Health and Human Services has indicated that insurers will be required to cover these self-administered tests and any necessary follow-ups by 2027, a development seen by experts as a potential advance in equitable screening access.

Public health advocates emphasize that preventive care is not limited to cancer or heart disease. Routine wellness visits can include dental checkups, flu vaccinations, counseling on healthy behaviors, and review of family health history to tailor individualized screening plans. The CDC notes that discussing family history with a clinician can help identify people at increased risk for conditions such as heart disease or diabetes so that appropriate tests are scheduled at the right times.

Community health events, such as wellness fairs in underserved areas, provide additional avenues for delivering preventive services, offering free or low-cost screenings for blood pressure, glucose levels, cholesterol, and other measures. Organizers of such events have reported growing participation and noted that these gatherings help forge connections between residents and health care providers while identifying health concerns that might otherwise go undetected.

Experts agree that increasing the use of preventive care will require coordinated efforts that address both health system barriers and social determinants of health, such as insurance coverage, transportation, and access to culturally competent care. Integrating preventive services into community settings, strengthening primary care relationships, and communicating the tangible benefits of early detection are part of a multi-layered approach intended to reduce disparities and improve outcomes across all populations.

As the new year begins, public health officials encourage individuals to schedule annual checkups, review screening needs with their health care providers, and engage in conversations about preventive care that reflect their personal health history and risk factors. With heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and many other chronic conditions preventable or more successfully treated when caught early, experts say prioritizing screenings and preventive care can lead to healthier lives and reduced strain on families and health systems alike.