Medical Wellness Exam

A Welcome to Medicare preventive visit includes the following:

•  Height, Weight, Blood Pressure
•  Calculation of BMI (Body Mass Index)
•  Simple vision test
•  Review of the patient's medical and social history
•  Review of patient's potential risk for depression and your level of safety
•  An offer to talk with you about creating Advance Directives/ End of Life Planning. (you may already have this done, examples- Living Will and Power of Attorney for Healthcare)
•  A written plan letting you know which screening, preventive services, and immunizations you need

This visit is covered one time. You don't need to have this visit to be covered for your Yearly Wellness Visits.

A Yearly Wellness Visit includes the following:

•  Review of your medical and family history
•  Developing or updating a list of current providers and prescriptions – meds that you take
•  Height, Weight, Blood Pressure, BMI
•  Detection of any cognitive impairment/ memory issues
•  Personalized health advice
•  A list of risk factors and treatment options for you
•  A checklist for appropriate preventive services

This visit is covered every 12 months.

What to bring to your Welcome to Medicare or Yearly Wellness Visit:

• Medications- bring a list of any prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements that you currently take, how often you take them and why (you can bring the actual medication bottles if you choose)
• Medical records, including your immunizations
• Family health history- try to learn as much as you can about your family health history before the visit. The information will help you and your doctor better understand what screenings you should get and what to watch for in the future
• Copy of your Living Will/ Power of Attorney for Medical Care if you already have one

Why should I schedule a Welcome to Medicare preventive visit or Yearly Wellness Exam?

Schedule a "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visit within the first 12 months that you have Medicare Part B. Medicare covers this introductory visit with your provider to assess your current health and identify any risk factors.

Schedule a “Yearly Wellness Visit” if you have had Medicare Part B for longer than 12 months. Medicare covers one visit every year to develop or update a personalized prevention help plan to prevent disease and disability based on your current health and risk factors.