Sophistication In Medical Care For Pets Is Rising—And So Are Costs (NAPSA)—There’s good news for pet owners who want to give their pets the best medical care available. Many procedures once performed only on humans— chemotherapy, diagnostic testing via ultrasound, arthroscopic surgery, CAT scans, pacemaker implants and kidney transplants—are now being provided to pets. And pet insurance plans are a good way to help defray some of the costs. As medical treatment for pets grows more sophisticated, the costs associated with some treatments can increase aswell. Plus, thousands of illnesses and accidents are covered by VPI Pet Insurancepolicies, and reim- bursements are provided for manyof the sophisticated testing and treatment procedures associated with these conditions. Additional benefits may be available for specialized diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound or MRI, or if a pet is referred to a board-certified specialist. All VPI Pet Insurance plans cover cancer. Since the treatments are as advanced as with human medical care, the carrier offers an additional, low-cost rider that In addition, the success of these and other procedures is giving many pets an increased life span. While this is good newsfor many owners, it can also come with additional medical concerns related to old age that could result Experts estimate that as recently as 2002, Americans spent over $20 billion on veterinary services for dogs, cats and birds. enhances the plan’s benefit schedule cancer allowances. Pet owners with insured pets can visit any licensed veterinarian in the world and still receive the benefits specific to their policy. After a veterinarian visit, a Experts say Americansrecently spent more than $20 billion on veterinary services for dogs, cats and birds in a single year, up 83 percent from 1996. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that costs alone for an Fortunately, a growing number of pet owners are finding they can do a better job of managing some of these costs by purchasing insurance policies designed for pets. For example, VPI Pet Insurance alleviates the costs associated with diagnostic tests, treat- simple claim form is submitted to the insurance companybythepolicyholder and the pet owner receives reimbursement. As the oldest and largest health insurance provider for pets in the nation, Veterinary Pet Insurance has been in busi- medications average $310 annually for a standard-sized canine. prescriptions, hospitalization, Xrays, and surgical procedures. visit www.petinsurance.com or, for in increased veterinarycosts. exam, vaccinations and heartworm ments, office visits, lab fees, ness for over 23 years. To protect your pet’s health, a free quote, call 1-800-USA-PETS.
