Annual wellness visits are included with Medicare Part B. You can have your first wellness visit 365 days after you enroll and every 365 days thereafter.1
Are you unsure about whether these appointments can benefit you? Here are seven reasons why your Medicare wellness exam isn’t a waste of time.
1. Benefit from a variety of services
The Medicare annual wellness exam includes a long list of services that can be personalized just for you. Services you may receive during this exam include:1
- Blood pressure reading
- Height and weight check
- Review of your personal and family medical history
- Review of your medications
- Fall risk evaluation
- Personalized health recommendations
- Referrals to other health education services
- Advance care planning
- Schedule of recommended screenings
- Cognitive assessment, for dementia
- An optional “Social Determinants of Health Risk Assessment”
These wellness visits focus mainly on health maintenance and on preventing future health issues. They do not typically focus on specific health concerns.
2. Help your doctor detect issues early on
Many diseases can be effectively treated and managed when caught early on. Diseases that go undetected can get worse over time. They may also require invasive and costly treatments. Fortunately, nearly all the services included in your annual visit can help your doctor find and diagnose conditions in their early stages.
A height and weight check can determine whether you are overweight or obese. If so, your doctor can work with you to achieve a healthy weight. A blood pressure check can reveal whether you have high blood pressure, and blood tests can also be done to check for diabetes and risk factors for heart disease.
A review of your medications may also lead to better health, especially if your doctor determines a medication is no longer needed. Fewer medications may lead to fewer side effects and lower medical costs.
3. Receive a personalized screening schedule
Screenings can reveal whether you have a condition you’re not aware of. Many diseases—including cancer—do not cause symptoms in their early stages.2 Screenings can catch diseases before symptoms start so you can receive treatment right away.
Your doctor may recommend screenings for diseases based on your age and sex. For example, women are encouraged to have a mammogram (breast cancer screening) once a year starting in their 40s.3 Your doctor may also recommend screenings for diseases that run in your family.
Your doctor can create a personalized screening schedule based on these and other factors. Yearly flu shots and other routine immunizations may also be included in your personalized screening schedule.
4. Learn practical and effective preventive health tips
Did you know that blueberries and broccoli are high in antioxidants and may reduce the risk for some cancers?4 Or that exercising for only 2.5 hours a week contributes to good heart health?5 These are just some of the many tips your doctor may share as part of preventive care during your wellness visit.
Your doctor may also offer tailored suggestions for preventive care based on your health status. For example, if you have heartburn, your doctor may suggest avoiding foods such as tomatoes, onions, and coffee. Changing certain small behaviors can often go a long way toward keeping you healthy and out of the hospital.
5. Become aware of important risk factors
A risk factor is something that increases your chances of getting a disease. For example, smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer.6 Making smart lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, may reduce your risk for cancers.
During your annual wellness visit, your doctor will review your family and personal medical history. This can help your doctor determine whether you meet risk factors for certain conditions and whether lifestyle changes can reduce your risk. For example, if heart disease runs in your family, your doctor may suggest eating less salt and more heart-healthy foods.
Being aware of your risk factors can steer you in the right direction for making good health choices. It may also help you spot symptoms of family conditions more easily.
6. Get valuable one-on-one time with your doctor
The average primary care visit lasts about 15 minutes.7 This is barely enough time to discuss your symptoms and all your available treatment options. In comparison, Medicare annual wellness visits can last up to 45 minutes or more.
Before your appointment, make a list of questions to ask your doctor. This may include those you don’t normally get to ask during other visits. Take advantage of this time with your doctor to learn as much as you can about how to practice preventive health and how to reduce your risk for chronic conditions.
It’s also important to note that Medicare wellness visits are not the same as physical exams. You get much more time with your doctor during wellness visits to discuss your health status. These visits can also strengthen the bond between you and your doctor and help them better understand your health and medical history.
7. Save lots on health care costs
Preventive care focuses on preventing diseases before they develop in the first place. Being in good health often means fewer sick days at work. It can lead to savings on costs related to medicines and prescription drugs. Catching diseases early can also help you avoid emergency hospital visits and costly treatments such as surgery.
There are no out-of-pocket costs for Medicare annual wellness visits.1 However, some diagnostic tests may not be covered by your plan. It may help to check with your provider to verify extra costs upfront if testing is needed.
If you have Medicare Part B, call your provider to make an appointment for an annual wellness visit. Your doctor can provide you with the tools and education you need to achieve your most important health goals.
WellMed is dedicated to providing quality health care with a strong focus on prevention. Our lifestyle medicine doctors can perform wellness checks and talk to you in more detail about preventive care. Contact WellMed today at (888) 781-WELL or visit our website to find a doctor near you.
Resources
- Medicare.gov. (n.d.) Yearly “Wellness” visits. https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/yearly-wellness-visits
- American Cancer Society. (2020, November 6). Signs and Symptoms of Cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/diagnosis-staging/signs-and-symptoms-of-cancer.html
- American Cancer Society. (2023, December 19). American Cancer Society Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/american-cancer-society-recommendations-for-the-early-detection-of-breast-cancer.html
- Carlsen, Monica H, Bente L Halvorsen, Kari Holte, Siv K Bøhn, Steinar Dragland, Laura Sampson, Carol Willey, et al. “The Total Antioxidant Content of More than 3100 Foods, Beverages, Spices, Herbs and Supplements Used Worldwide.” Nutrition journal. (2010, January 22). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2841576/
- American Heart Association. (2024, January 19). American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 15). Lung Cancer Risk Factors. https://www.cdc.gov/lung-cancer/risk-factors/index.html
- Tai-Seale, Ming, Thomas G McGuire, Weimin Zhang. “Time Allocation in Primary Care Office Visits.” Health Services Research. (2007, October). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2254573/
