Building Stronger Bones for Life: Your Complete Guide to Osteoporosis Prevention

May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month

Although May is designated as an awareness month, maintaining strong, healthy bones is a year-round priority for adults of all ages. At eternalHealth, we recognize that bone health becomes increasingly vital as we age, with preventive measures and early detection making a significant difference in quality of life. We’re dedicated to providing you with the resources, support, and education needed to protect your skeletal health and maintain your independence and mobility for years to come.

The Critical Importance of Bone Health as We Age

Bone health demands special attention as we age, with osteoporosis affecting approximately 10 million Americans and another 44 million at risk due to low bone density. This statistic might sound concerning, but there’s encouraging news: early detection through regular screenings can significantly improve outcomes. Research shows that it’s never too late to make positive changes that benefit your bone health.

Key Bone Health Benefits with eternalHealth

Your Medicare Advantage plan includes valuable services to support your bone health:

Annual Wellness Visit

Schedule your no-cost annual wellness visit with your Primary Care Physician (PCP) and receive a $10 reward on your eternalPlus Benefits Card for over-the-counter items and if eligible, healthy groceries*. These visits are crucial for discussing appropriate screenings and catching potential issues early.

Comprehensive Screening Services

Take advantage of covered bone density screenings and other preventive services designed to detect osteoporosis early when it’s most treatable. Preventive screenings are a crucial part of maintaining your health and catching potential issues before they become serious problems. Bone density screenings can help identify low bone mass before fractures occur, allowing for early intervention. These routine tests are an essential component of proactive healthcare, helping you and your healthcare provider create a comprehensive plan for your ongoing wellness. Best of all? These screenings are at no cost to you! We encourage you to complete both your annual wellness visit and recommended preventive screenings to take control of your long-term health.

Fitness and Wellness Support

Regular weight-bearing physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet rich in calcium and vitamin D are associated with stronger bones and lower osteoporosis risk. Use your eternalHealth fitness benefit to join exercise classes at your favorite fitness facilities or stream over 28,000 fitness videos right from the comfort of home. If you are an eternalHealth Freedom member, you also have $350 to spend annually on fitness trackers, home fitness equipment, golf, tennis, and pickleball fees.

Need help with your healthcare journey? eternalHealth’s Care Management team is here for you.

If you’re struggling to find a doctor, connect with a specialist, or schedule your important health screenings, our dedicated Care Management team is ready to assist. We’ll help navigate these challenges so you can focus on your health.

Contact us today:

Critical Warning Signs to Watch For

Don’t hesitate to discuss with your doctor if you experience:

  • Bone Fractures from Minor Falls: Fractures from simple falls or bumps may indicate weakened bones.
  • Loss of Height: A noticeable decrease in height could signal vertebral compression fractures.
  • Back Pain: Sudden, severe back pain could be related to vertebral fractures.
  • Posture Changes: Development of a stooped or hunched posture may indicate spinal changes from osteoporosis.

Take Action Today

Remember, taking care of your bone health today means a healthier tomorrow. Our dedicated team stands ready to support you in achieving optimal health and overall wellness.

Contact our member services team to better understand your benefits and learn how to optimize your health!

1-800-680-4568 (TTY 711)

October 1st-March 31st: 8AM-8PM local time, 7 days a week
April 1st-September 30th: 8AM-8PM local time, Monday-Friday

eternalHealth is an HMO plan with a Medicare Contract for HMO, HMO-POS and PPO offerings. Enrollment in eternalHealth depends on contract renewal. To enroll in an eternalHealth plan you must meet certain eligibility requirements and reside in the plan’s CMS-approved service area. Benefits and cost sharing may vary by plan.

Y0160_May25Blog_C

Page Last Updated On: May 9, 2025
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
Tom Cunniffe

Tom Cunniffe

Director of Operations 

Tom Cunniffe comes to eternalHealth with over 20 years of healthcare operations’ experience, having held leadership positions in Call Center, Enrollment, Credentialing, UAT and Reimbursement teams. Tom has worked with Medicaid, Commercial and Medicare lines of business and has consistently built teams who are metrics driven with proven successful outcomes. Making sure our business strives for an efficient, best-in-class customer experience is at the center of Tom’s philosophy.

Tom has a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and a master’s in business administration from University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Tom Lawless

Tom Lawless

Chief Financial Officer

Tom Lawless has spent the past 20+ years building, sustaining, and growing new healthcare-related programs that balance fiscal responsibility & prudence with creativity & innovation, focusing on models of care that are novel, person-centered, and improve the social welfare of those who are served. He is very excited to continue doing so in his role as the Chief Financial Officer of eternalHealth.

Tom comes to eternalHealth from a not-for-profit, member-centric, health insurance cooperative. He helped the company continuously strive toward its dual goals of thriving financially, while keeping members at the very epicenter of its mission and service model. While there, Tom also spearheaded the creation of a brand new private, charitable foundation, which will be meaningfully giving back to those in need in the surrounding communities for years to come. Previously, Tom worked in the finance department of a successful hospice that provided high-quality care to persons experiencing their unique and poignant end-of-life journeys, assuring that the appropriate financing was always available. Tom’s career began as a civil servant in the Wisconsin Medicaid program, where he helped to create a program that expanded the institutional entitlement to care into home and community-based settings. Starting with only a blueprint in hand, the program now serves more than 57,000 frail elders and disabled adults and is considered a national model. Growing into a senior leadership role, Tom was a key architect of an innovative financing model, through which the public and private sectors successfully collaborated to better the lives of persons in great need.

Tom holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Chicago, with additional graduate work in economics completed at the University Wisconsin-Madison.

This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.
This link will leave eternalHealth.com, opening a new window.