Medicare Annual Wellness Visits

What is a Medicare annual wellness visit?

A Medicare annual wellness visit is a preventive medical exam that enables you and your primary care provider to develop a personal wellness plan based on your current health and risk factors.

To be clear: an annual wellness visit is separate from your one-time Welcome to Medicare preventive visit. In addition, you cannot receive your Medicare annual wellness visit in the same year that you undergo your Welcome to Medicare preventive visit.

Why is a Medicare annual wellness visit important?

Medicare annual wellness visits are important because they present an opportunity for you to check in on your general health and well-being. 

A Medicare annual wellness visit also enables you to build a relationship with your primary care provider and learn more about the steps you can take to improve your health and quality of life.

What’s involved in a Medicare annual wellness visit?

During your Medicare annual wellness visit, your Encino Park Family Health & Wellness Clinic provider reviews your medical history, does a physical exam, and asks you questions about your overall health, energy levels, sleep habits, and diet.

Your provider also checks your weight, height, and blood pressure, gives you a health risk assessment, and screens for depression. Your doctor also orders a comprehensive blood panel to detect problems like high cholesterol and vitamin deficiencies.

Finally, your provider does an electrocardiogram (EKG). An EKG is a noninvasive test used to determine your risk of heart disease.

Each step of your Medicare annual wellness visit follows a set of guidelines developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Ultimately, the goal of your visit is to detect potential health problems early on, before they become more serious and interfere with your quality of life.

What does a Medicare annual wellness visit cost?

If you qualify for Original Medicare and schedule your Medicare annual wellness visit with a  participating provider, Medicare covers the entire cost of your preventive exam. This means you don’t have to pay a deductible or coinsurance.

However, if your provider discovers a new or existing health problem during your appointment, they might need to perform what’s known as diagnostic care. If you receive diagnostic care during your annual wellness visit, Medicare could bill you for these services.

If it's time to schedule your Medicare annual wellness visit, make an appointment at Encino Park Family Health & Wellness Clinic. Call the office or click the online booking tool today.