Dear Marci,
My sister just went to her doctor for an Annual Wellness Visit and recommended I do the same. I don’t think I’ve had this type of appointment before, though. What is it and what should I expect?
-Douglas (Westminster, CO)
Dear Douglas,
The Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) is a yearly appointment with your primary care provider (PCP) to create or update a personalized prevention plan. This plan may help prevent illness based on your current health and risk factors. Keep in mind that the AWV is not a head-to-toe physical. Also, this service is similar to but separate from the one-time Welcome to Medicare preventive visit.
During your first Annual Wellness Visit, your PCP will develop your personalized prevention plan. Your PCP may also:
Check your height, weight, blood pressure, and other routine measurements
Give you a health risk assessment
Review your functional ability and level of safety
Learn about your medical and family history
Make a list of your current providers, durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers, and medications
Create a written 5-10 year screening schedule or check-list
Screen for cognitive impairment, including diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia
Screen for depression
Provide health advice and referrals to health education and/or preventive counseling services aimed at reducing identified risk factors and promoting wellness
AWVs after your first visit may be different. At subsequent AWVs, your doctor should:
Check your weight and blood pressure
Update the health risk assessment you completed
Update your medical and family history
Update your list of current medical providers and suppliers
Update your written screening schedule
Screen for cognitive issues
Provide health advice and referrals to health education and/or preventive counseling services
Original Medicare covers the Annual Wellness Visit at 100% of the Medicare-approved amount when you receive the service from a participating provider. This means you pay nothing (no deductible or coinsurance). Medicare Advantage Plans are required to cover AWVs without applying deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance when you see an in-network provider and meet Medicare’s requirements for the service.
Contact your healthcare provider if you want to schedule your Annual Wellness Visit!
-Marci