Medicare has a free benefit called the Annual Wellness Visit.

What is the Annual Wellness Visit?

An Annual Wellness Visit is a free preventive medical visit 100% covered by Medicare, which includes a review of your medical and social history related to your health, and education and counseling about preventive services such as certain screenings, shots, and referrals for other care that is needed. You are eligible for an Annual Wellness Visit once per year at no cost to you.

How is the Annual Wellness Visit different from other visits?

An annual physical is a much more extensive examination than the Annual Wellness Visit. In addition to collecting a medical history, it may also include a vital signs check, lung exam, head and neck exam, abdominal exam, neurological exam, dermatological exam, and extremities exam. Clinical laboratory tests are not included in the Annual Wellness Visit. If your doctor needs to evaluate and treat a medical problem during one of these wellness visits, he or she would need to charge for this separately, and the cost of the tests would be applied to your deductible or copay.

When do I get it?

You can get your first Annual Wellness Visit after you have been enrolled in Medicare for 12 months. After your first Wellness Visit, you can get a follow up Wellness Visit every 12 months.

Who pays for it?

Medicare will pay for the Annual Wellness Visit.

• Medicare will pay for most services you need.
• You may have a copay for some screening services and follow-up visits.

How do I schedule my visit?

Before you leave the office today, tell the receptionist you would like to schedule your Annual Wellness Visit. If you’d like to go home and check your calendar before scheduling, please feel free to call us so we may schedule at your convenience!

Things to bring to your Annual Wellness visit:

• A list of the members of your healthcare team (specialists).
• A list of all your medications and dosages, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbals, as well as your pharmacy information.
• Your medical and immunization records.
• You're family health history - to help your doctor determine if you're at risk for any diseases.
• Your medical supply company information.