Understanding Your Medicare Wellness Visit

Your health is important and a great way to stay healthy is taking advantage of preventative and wellness visits covered by Medicare. These visits, called Welcome to Medicare and Annual Wellness, are different than a routine physical exam. Your Medicare Wellness Visit gives you and your provider the opportunity to discuss short and long-term steps to prevent disease, improve your health, and stay well. Learn more below:

Welcome to Medicare

The Welcome to Medicare preventative visit is a one-time appointment you can choose to receive when you are new to Medicare. The aim of the visit is to promote general health and help prevent diseases.

Medicare Part B covers your one-time Welcome to Medicare preventative visit. Note that you must receive this visit within the first 12 months of your Part B enrollment.

Annual Wellness Visit (AWV)

You are eligible for a Medicare "Annual Wellness Visit" visit every 12 months if you have been enrolled in Medicare Part B longer than 12 months. Your healthcare provider can help ensure that you are getting the recommended screenings, tests, and immunizations that prevent future diseases during these visits.

Your Preventative Care Visit Includes

Ordering of recommended tests and immunizations
Conducting a health risk assessment
Measuring height, weight, BMI, and blood pressure
Reviewing family and medical history

Reviewing functional ability, level of safety, and risks for disease
Checking for cognitive impairment (if applicable)
Reviewing preventative care needs, identifying risks or conditions, and providing education and resources

What's Typically NOT Included in a Wellness Visit

Evaluating and diagnosing new health issues
Treating existing conditions
Performing lab tests or X-rays for existing or new conditions or illnesses

Prescribing or making medication changes
Managing ongoing chronic health conditions (i.e. asthma or diabetes)
Performing exams or immunizations required solely for employment, immigration, licenses, travel or other types of insurance

Any of the above needs can be addressed in a separate once visit with your healthcare provider.

*Services not included in your wellness visit will not be covered by a Preventative Services benefit. If you do receive any additional services or testing today, you could be billed for a non-preventative care once visit depending on your plan's coverage. Your visit might also include a copay, coinsurance, or deductible for the additional services.

What to bring to your AWV:

Medical and immunization records
Family health history
List of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications and supplements

How to schedule my Annual Wellness Visit:

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