Here’s a look at Wellness Visits vs. Annual Physicals and how to request an appointment with WellMed when you’re ready for your next checkup.

Wellness visit vs. annual physical: what’s the difference?

There are several key differences between wellness visits and yearly physicals, but here’s the most significant difference: wellness visits focus on preventing health issues. In contrast, physicals focus on addressing current health issues. Here’s an overview of each type of exam.

Medicare Wellness Visit

A Medicare Annual Wellness visit is an assessment of your overall health and well-being. These visits start with filling out a Health Risk Assessment.¹ This helps your doctor understand how you feel about your general health status. Your doctor then uses the information you provide to create a personalized prevention plan just for you.

The primary goal of an Annual Wellness visit is to help you improve your general health using preventive methods. For example, your doctor may suggest eating less salt to reduce your risk for heart disease. You may also discuss increasing your calcium and vitamin D intake to avoid osteoporosis (bone loss).

Exercising regularly, managing stress, and getting quality sleep are examples of healthy behaviors that may prevent or reduce your risk for health problems. Your doctor may discuss the importance of behaviors like these and suggest changing harmful behaviors that increase your risk for illness and disease.

There is usually no physical exam that occurs during yearly wellness visits. You’ll often simply talk at length with your doctor about practical ways to become healthier.

Physical exam

A yearly physical exam is a physical assessment of your entire body. This includes your organs, vital signs, and reflexes. The purpose of these visits is to look for signs of new health problems and address any symptoms and ongoing health problems. Talks about treating current health problems typically take priority over talks about prevention.

In short, wellness visits can teach you how to maintain good health and avoid illness and disease by practicing healthy behaviors. Physical exams focus more on acute issues and managing chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Wellness visit benefits and what to ask your doctor

There are two types of preventive visits when you first join Medicare:

1. “Welcome to Medicare” Visit (Initial Preventive Physical Exam-IPPE) you can schedule this within the first 12 months of having Medicare Part B. it includes:

• A Basic physical assessment
• Health risk review
• Education and referrals for screening and preventive services
• Optional EKG (if needed)

2. Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) this becomes available after you’ve had Medicare Part B for 12 months. It’s focused on creating or updating your personalized prevention plan and doesn’t include a physical exam or lab tests.

If you are new to Medicare Part B, you can have your first wellness exam 365 days after your plan begins.² After your first visit, you can have this exam once a year.

Yearly wellness visits offer a long list of benefits to those who want to stay in good health. These checkups can help you reduce your risk for medical conditions and their related complications.

Other benefits of Medicare annual wellness visits:²

• Prevention of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease
• Appointments last around 60 minutes
• Care plans and treatment are personalized
• Enhanced relationship between you and your doctor
• Disease prevention tips
• Mental health screening, such as for depression and dementia
• Routine immunizations and screenings
• Medication review
• Advance care planning
• Fewer doctor’s visits
• Savings on medical costs
• Risk factor awareness

Medicare wellness visits typically last around an hour. This means you’ll have plenty of time to talk to your doctor about preventive care. Here are some topics to consider bringing up during your appointment:

• Your daily lifestyle and behaviors. This can help your doctor assess whether certain changes can be made to improve or maintain your health.
• Family and personal medical history. This can make your doctor aware of potential health problems you may face later on, which can lead to effective and personalized disease prevention. Having a family history of some diseases may put you at higher risk.
• Current medications. About one-third of U.S. adults in their 60s and 70s are using five or more prescription drugs.³ Using too many medications can increase your risk for falls and side effects. Your doctor can review your medications and determine whether you still need all of them to treat your conditions.
• Upcoming screenings. Your doctor can give you a schedule of recommended screenings based on your age, sex, and medical history.
• Review and Update the list of Specialists and other Providers involved in your care

Your doctor may also want to talk about some of the information you provided on your health risk assessment. Topics that are typically included in the assessment include:

• Demographics, such as age, gender, and ethnicity.
• Behavioral risks, such as smoking, alcohol use, and poor nutrition.⁴
• Psychosocial risks, such as depression, life satisfaction, and loneliness.
• Activities of daily living. Dressing, grooming, and bathing are examples.
• Instrumental activities of daily living. Examples include shopping, cooking, and managing finances.

During the last part of your exam, your doctor will use all the information from your assessment to develop a five- to 10-year preventive care plan. This may include a calendar of upcoming screenings or a healthy meal plan that supports weight loss. Either way, your plan will be personalized for you based on your health goals and preferences.

It’s important to note that treatment for chronic conditions is not included in Medicare annual wellness visits. You may be charged a copay or deductible if you talk about your chronic condition during your exam or receive treatment.² Asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure are examples of chronic conditions in this category.

Physical exam benefits and what to ask your doctor

The purpose of a yearly physical exam is to evaluate your general health, address symptoms, and identify the root causes of your symptoms. These exams are sometimes required by schools, sports teams, and workplaces to confirm you’re in good health before participating in certain activities.

Medicare does not cover yearly physical exams.² However, physicals can still be highly beneficial given they include some additional services.

Benefits of annual physical exams:

• Blood work and lab tests
• Diagnosis and treatment of new health issues
• Risk factor assessment
• Hands-on assessment of physical health
• Education on ongoing disease management
• Development of baseline for chronic conditions
• Discussion about new or different treatment options

Here are some topics to consider mentioning during your physical exam:

• Updates about current or chronic conditions. If you are living with a chronic condition such as asthma or diabetes, prepare to give your doctor an update during your exam. Your doctor can check to see whether your condition is getting better or worse. Your treatment plan may also be modified, if necessary.
• New symptoms. Mention any new symptoms to your doctor. It may also help to include when they happen, how long they last, and what you do to resolve them.
• New treatments. If you are receiving long-term treatment for a chronic condition (such as corticosteroids for arthritis and joint pain), ask about other treatments that may be available. Your doctor can tell you about new therapies or medications that may work better at treating your condition.
• Specific health concerns. Your doctor can address health problems that are affecting you right now and discuss your available treatment options.

What’s included in each exam?

Here’s a general breakdown of the services included in a wellness visit vs. annual physical. These services may vary slightly depending on your provider.

Why is it important to have both exams?

Medicare annual wellness visits and yearly physicals are optional health care services. However, both exams are important given how one addresses your current health and the other prevents health problems before they begin.

Many Americans tend to visit their doctors only when symptoms get severe enough to require care. Prevention is often the best treatment, as it can help you avoid health problems in the first place. Preventive care given through annual wellness visits can keep you feeling great and out of the hospital. It may result in massive savings and greater quality of life.
On the other hand, a physical exam can be useful for identifying and treating current health problems. After you get your current condition under control, you can focus more on prevention and benefit from fewer doctor’s visits in the future.

Both exams take place only once a year and typically last around an hour. Devoting just two hours a year to these exams can significantly improve your life. These exams may also help you adopt a healthier lifestyle that keeps you active and happy for years to come. If you have Medicare Part B, contact your provider to make an appointment today.

WellMed is dedicated to providing quality health care with a strong focus on prevention. Our lifestyle medicine doctors can perform wellness checks and discuss preventive care with you in more detail. find a doctor near you.

Resources

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.) Interim Guidance for Health Risk Assessments and their Modes of Provision for Medicare Beneficiaries. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/healthriskassessmentscdcfinalpdf
2. Medicare.gov. (n.d.) Yearly “Wellness” Visits. https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/yearly-wellness-visits
3. National Institutes of Health. (2021, August 24). The dangers of polypharmacy and the case for deprescribing in older adults. https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/dangers-polypharmacy-and-case-deprescribing-older-adults
4. National Library of Medicine. (2001). Health and Behavior: The Interplay of Biological, Behavioral, and Societal Influences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK43744/