Get Answers! Don’t Be Confused about Cholesterol Published Sept. 15, 2015 By TRICARE.mil Staff Communications Division, Defense Health Agency FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- September is National Cholesterol Education Month. Learning about cholesterol, and how to maintain healthy levels, is essential. A build-up of cholesterol and other deposits can block arteries and lead to coronary artery disease (CAD) – the most common type of heart disease in the United States.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for some the first sign of CAD is a heart attack. Knowing if you have high cholesterol helps determine your risk for CAD. Your health care provider may measure your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels to determine if you have increased risk factors. Certain lifestyle choices like smoking, physical inactivity and diet also increase your risk.Your liver makes enough cholesterol for your body’s needs, but we often get more from the foods we eat. If we take in more cholesterol than the body can use, the extra cholesterol can build up in the walls of the arteries, including those of the heart. A blood test can detect the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides (a related kind of fat) in your blood.TRICARE covers cholesterol testing every 5 years in adults age 20 and over, as recommended by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Beneficiaries should talk to their primary care manager (PCM) for more information on preventive screenings, and what their specific needs are in order to stay heart healthy.Beneficiaries using TRICARE Standard should note that cholesterol screenings are covered only when given in conjunction with an immunization or breast, cervical, colorectal or prostate cancer screening. Prime beneficiaries may receive clinical preventive services from their primary care manager or any network provider without a referral or authorization at no cost.