It may still feel like summer in Arkansas, but fall is right around the corner. If you have been putting off your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, this is a good time to get it on the calendar.
A Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is not the same thing as a traditional yearly physical. Instead, it is a preventive visit designed to look at your overall health, identify potential risks, and develop or update a personalized prevention plan for the year ahead. Medicare Part B covers the visit once every 12 months for eligible patients.
At Healthy Connections, our primary care teams can help Medicare patients use this visit to take a closer look at their health today — and make a plan for staying healthier tomorrow.
What Is a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit?
The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is primarily a conversation about prevention.
Your healthcare provider uses information about your health, medical history, medications, daily activities and risk factors to develop or update a personalized prevention plan. Medicare requires a Health Risk Assessment as part of the visit.
Depending on your individual health needs, the visit may include:
- Reviewing your medical and family history
- Reviewing medications, vitamins, and supplements
- Checking blood pressure, weight, and other routine measurements
- Reviewing your current healthcare providers
- Looking at your risk for falls and other safety concerns
- Checking for possible changes in memory or thinking
- Discussing emotional and behavioral health risks
- Reviewing preventive screenings that may be appropriate
- Discussing recommended vaccines
- Developing or updating a personalized prevention plan
CMS also includes areas such as physical activity, nutrition, social connection, functional ability and home safety among the factors that may be considered during an Annual Wellness Visit.
The goal is not simply to find out how you feel today. It is to identify what may help you stay healthier in the months and years ahead.
An Annual Wellness Visit Is Not a Routine Physical
This distinction causes a lot of confusion.
A Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is not a comprehensive physical exam. Medicare describes it as a prevention-focused visit built around your health risks and your personalized prevention plan.
That does not mean physical health is ignored. Your provider may check measurements such as blood pressure and weight and review important health information. But the purpose of the visit is different from an appointment to diagnose or treat a new medical problem.
If you have a new symptom, worsening condition or another specific health concern, tell the clinic when you schedule. You may need a separate appointment or additional services.
That is also important because additional tests or services performed during the same visit may have different Medicare cost-sharing rules. Medicare says the Annual Wellness Visit itself has no cost when the provider accepts assignment, but coinsurance, deductibles or other charges may apply to additional services that are not included in the preventive benefit.
What Should You Bring to Your Visit?
A little preparation can make the appointment more useful.
CMS recommends that eligible patients bring information including:
- Medical and immunization records you have available
- Information about your family health history
- A complete list of prescription medications
- Over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements
- The dose and frequency of each medication
- A list of the doctors, specialists and other healthcare professionals involved in your care
This is also a good time to write down questions you want to discuss.
You do not have to remember everything when you walk through the door. A written medication list and a few notes on your phone can make a big difference.
What About the “Welcome to Medicare” Visit?
They are different benefits.
The “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit is available once during the first 12 months that you have Medicare Part B. After you have had Part B for more than 12 months, you may qualify for the yearly Wellness Visit. You do not have to complete the Welcome to Medicare visit before becoming eligible for a later Annual Wellness Visit.
If you are unsure which visit applies to you, ask when you schedule.
Why Preventive Care Matters as We Get Older
Healthcare is easier to manage when we are not always reacting to the next problem.
Preventive care gives you and your provider an opportunity to look ahead. Are important screenings up to date? Have your medications changed? Has your risk of falling increased? Are there concerns involving memory, mood, nutrition, physical activity or daily activities that deserve more attention?
Sometimes the most valuable part of an Annual Wellness Visit is simply creating time to ask those questions before a problem becomes harder to manage.
Medicare also covers a range of other preventive and screening services for eligible patients, including certain cancer screenings, diabetes screenings, depression screenings and recommended vaccines. Coverage and eligibility vary by service.
Schedule a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit at Healthy Connections
Healthy Connections accepts Medicare and provides primary care at locations throughout Arkansas.
Our primary care teams work with patients not only when they are sick, but also to help manage chronic conditions, monitor health risks, stay current on preventive care and make informed decisions about their health.
If your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is due, there is no reason to wait until the end of the year to start thinking about it.
Call Healthy Connections at 888-710-8220 to schedule an appointment.
You can also learn more about Healthy Connections primary care at:
To find a Healthy Connections clinic near you:
https://healthy-connections.org/locations
Frequently Asked Questions About Medicare Annual Wellness Visits
Does Medicare pay for an Annual Wellness Visit?
Medicare Part B covers a yearly Wellness Visit once every 12 months for eligible patients. If the provider accepts Medicare assignment, Medicare says you pay nothing for the Wellness Visit itself and the Part B deductible does not apply. Additional tests or services performed during the appointment may result in additional costs.
Is a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit the same as a physical?
No. Medicare specifically states that the yearly Wellness Visit is not a routine physical exam. Its purpose is to develop or update a personalized prevention plan based on your health and risk factors.
How often can I have a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit?
Eligible Medicare patients can receive the yearly Wellness Visit once every 12 months.
What should I bring to my Annual Wellness Visit?
Bring an updated list of medications and supplements, relevant medical and immunization records, family health history, and information about the doctors and other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
Does Healthy Connections accept Medicare?
Yes. Healthy Connections accepts Medicare for primary care services. Call 888-710-8220 to ask about appointments or find the Healthy Connections location that is right for you.