Medicare Annual Wellness Visit
A Personalized Plan for Staying Healthy
Your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is an opportunity to look beyond today’s symptoms and focus on prevention, early identification of health risks, and maintaining your health and independence as you age. With a primary care physician such as Nathaniel D. Kwok, M.D., the visit provides an opportunity to review your overall health, discuss changes you’ve noticed, and develop or update a personalized preventive-care plan.
What Does a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Include?
- Your visit begins with a Health Risk Assessment and a review of important areas of your health. This typically includes:
- Medical and family history
- Current medications and supplements
- Blood pressure, weight and other routine measurements
- Lifestyle, physical activity and nutrition
- Fall risk, mobility and ability to perform everyday activities
- Emotional health and depression risk
- Memory and cognitive health
- Tobacco, alcohol and other potential health risks
- Current physicians and specialists involved in your care
- Recommended preventive screenings and vaccinations
- Advance care planning, if you choose to discuss it. Dr. Kwok can then use this information to help identify areas that may deserve closer attention and create or update your personalized prevention plan.
Prevention Becomes More Important With Age
As we get older, conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and certain cancers may develop before obvious symptoms occur. An ongoing relationship with your primary physician allows changes in your health to be considered in context—not simply as isolated numbers on a laboratory report. Dr. Kwok’s approach emphasizes understanding your medical history, recognizing potential risk factors, keeping appropriate screenings current, and helping you make informed decisions about your health.
What Should You Bring?
To get the most from your visit, bring an updated list of your prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and supplements, along with your medical and immunization records when available. You should also be prepared to discuss your family health history and provide information about other physicians and specialists involved in your care.
An Important Medicare Distinction
The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is not the same as a traditional comprehensive physical examination. It is primarily a preventive-planning visit designed to assess health risks and establish or update your personalized prevention plan. Medicare Part B generally covers the Annual Wellness Visit once every 12 months. If your physician addresses additional medical problems, performs additional testing, or provides services outside the Medicare wellness benefit during the same appointment, normal Medicare deductible or coinsurance rules may apply.
Make Prevention Part of Your Health Plan
Your Annual Wellness Visit is more than something to check off your calendar. It is an opportunity to discuss where your health stands today and what you can do to protect it for the future. Know your risks. Stay current with preventive care. Have a physician who knows your health.
Schedule Your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Nathaniel Kwok and take a proactive approach to maintaining your health and independence.
