Medicare Annual Wellness Visits

What are Medicare annual wellness visits?

Medicare annual wellness visits are appointments that you can make if you’ve had Medicare for 12 months or longer. These visits happen annually and are a great opportunity for you to keep tabs on your health as you age. 

During a Medicare annual wellness visit, you undergo a general physical exam as well as tests your provider recommends based on your predisposition to certain illnesses. 

You can also access preventive services like immunization updates and discuss your health in confidence with a provider you trust. 

What happens during my first Medicare annual wellness visit?

Your first Medicare annual wellness visit includes a thorough examination as well as several general tests to evaluate your health and risk factors. 

The visit starts with a cognitive impairment assessment that tests for mood disorders as well as early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Other parts of the initial Medicare annual wellness visit may vary based on your past or current health and health risks. 

After reviewing your medical history and family medical history, your provider:

• Takes routine measurements like your height, weight, and blood pressure
• Gives you personalized health advice 
• Goes over your risk factors with you
• Gives you a screening schedule for immunization updates

You must take a health risk assessment during this visit so your provider can assess your current health and behaviors. Then, they create a personalized prevention plan. 

They can also develop your custom chronic disease management plan if you currently have any chronic illnesses, like diabetes or hypertension.

Subsequent visits include many of the same steps but aren’t as comprehensive. Your provider can update your personalized prevention plan, take measurements to track changes in your health, and conduct screening tests when you need them. 

Which screening tests do I need during my Medicare annual wellness visits?

Odam Medical Group offers comprehensive screening tests based on Medicare guidelines. With your Medicare plan, your provider can recommend screening for any of the following issues:

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm 
• Alcohol misuse
• Cardiovascular disease 
• Cervical and vaginal cancer 
• Breast cancer
• Colorectal cancer 
• Depression
• Diabetes 
• Hepatitis B 
• Hepatitis C 
• HIV
• Lung cancer
• Obesity
• Prostate cancer 
• STDs

Screenings are tests for certain diseases for which you do not currently display any symptoms, but you have a risk of developing them. Your provider at Odam Medical Group recommends screening tests for you based on the findings of your health risk assessment. 

To schedule your next Medicare annual wellness visit and explore your health risks, call Odam Medical Group or book online today.