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Article: Medicare coverage of smoking cessation. (Featured CME Topic: Smoking Cessation).
- Article from:
- Southern Medical Journal
- Article date:
- April 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Southern Medical Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Today's older smokers grew up in an era in which advertisers promoted smoking; the adverse effects of smoking had not yet been established. There are significant benefits to smoking cessation, even after 30 or more years of regular smoking. Older smokers may be less likely to perceive the health consequences of smoking, but are more likely to achieve success in their cessation attempts than younger smokers. It is believed that a major portion of the physical decline among the elderly is caused more by the absence of comprehensive health promotion and disease prevention strategies than by aging.
Smoking cessation is a special concern for Medicare because more ...