About Your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit

Your Medicare annual wellness visit plays a key part in your health and it's a time for you and your doctor to focus on preventive measures for your long-term wellness. Keep reading for helpful tips before your visit.

About Your Visit

Medicare Annual Wellness Visits are often mistaken for annual physical examinations. Though the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they serve different purposes. Unlike an annual physical exam that primarily focuses on your current vital signs and existing physical health conditions, a wellness visit focuses on preventive care, health screenings and planning for a healthy future. It's your opportunity to talk to your primary care provider about your current health and create a plan to promote your lasting well-being.

During your visit, your primary care provider will complete a thorough health risk assessment for conditions like diabetes and heart disease, talk with you about lifestyle factors that affect your health and help you create a personalized prevention plan to keep you feeling your best. You'll also review your current prescriptions, as well as personal and family medical history so your provider can get the best picture of your current health.

Things to Keep in Mind at Your Next Wellness Visit

Scheduling your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is a great way to support your whole health, but there are a few important things to know beforehand.

If you're enrolled in Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage, you're automatically eligible for one annual wellness visit every 12 months at no additional cost. At your visit, check with the front desk staff that your appointment is scheduled as an annual wellness visit to ensure you're not billed at the typical office visit rate.

Though your visit should be fully covered, there may be costs associated with any tests or lab work your primary care provider recommends.

Caring for Your Lasting Well-Being

Scheduling your Medicare annual wellness visit is one way our dedicated team can help keep you feeling your best. Learn more about our primary care services and schedule your visit today.