Add Medicare’s Annual Wellness Visit to New Year’s Resolutions
An annual wellness visit with your primary care provider is an important part of preventive healthcare. Over time, most adults will notice changes in their overall health, but may not talk to a healthcare professional about their concerns. This can lead to long-term health issues that might have been prevented through an annual wellness visit. At an annual wellness visit, the goals are health promotion, and disease prevention and detection. Wellness visits can be done in-person or through virtual visits.
At Lincoln Family Medicine Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, our providers offer annual wellness visits at no charge to adults who are enrolled in Medicare Part B.
Types of Annual Wellness Visits
There are two types of annual wellness visits covered by Medicare. It’s important to understand the difference between the two when you call to schedule your appointment at Lincoln Family Medicine Center.
Initial Preventive Physical Exam
If you are enrolling in Medicare Part B, or if it is within the first 12 months of enrollment, you are eligible for the Welcome to Medicare Visit or Initial Preventive Physical Exam. Medicare Part B coverage is only once within the initial 12 months of enrollment.
At the initial preventive physical exam, one of our family medicine physicians will go over the following with you:
Discuss your medical history, current medications and supplements you may be taking, family history, diet and physical activity, and social history of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use.
Review potential risk factors for depression.
Go over your functioning ability, such as hearing, falls risk, daily living activities, and being safe in the home.
Perform an exam that includes your height, weight, and blood pressure.
Discuss end-of-life planning, such as preparing an advance directive.
Offer education and counseling on appropriate screenings and preventive services, and answer questions or refer you for additional health services.
Annual Wellness Visit
The Annual Wellness Visit is intended to develop or update your personalized prevention plan and perform a health risk assessment. It also helps to determine risk factors and provide education and resources on how to prevent future illnesses. Medicare Part B covers the cost of the annual wellness visit once every 12 months.
At the annual wellness visit, one of our family medicine physicians will update the following information taken at your initial preventive physical exam:
Perform a Health Risk Assessment done before or during the first annual wellness visit.
Update your medical and family history.
Update your current providers and suppliers.
Perform an exam that includes height, weight, blood pressure, and other measurements based on medical history.
Look for any cognitive issues.
Go over any risk factors for depression.
Create a schedule for ongoing screenings.
Update risk factors and conditions that require interventions that have been recommended or are currently being done.
Offer health advice, education, and preventive counseling services as needed.
Provide advance care planning if requested.
What’s Not Covered by Medicare Part B
Annual physicals. A physical exam is separate from the wellness visits.
Laboratory tests are not covered under wellness visits. Our family medicine providers may suggest you consider having tests done during your annual wellness visit.
We encourage patients to check with their insurance plan coverage of physical exams and lab tests.
Schedule Your Annual Wellness Visit
At Lincoln Family Medicine Center, we want to ensure that at your wellness visit you have the opportunity to discuss your health issues and together with your provider you develop a plan to maintain the quality of life you want to have.
To schedule an appointment at Lincoln Family Medicine Center located at 4600 Valley Road in Lincoln, Nebraska, call 402-483-4571 and request an annual wellness visit.