The good news is that if you have had Plan B with Medicare for over a year, you qualify for an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV), and the best news is that this yearly wellness check-up is 100% covered (no deductible, no coinsurance)!
One goal of these AWV’s is to establish a good relationship and connection between the patient (you) and your provider. Another goal of these visits is to create a personalized “prevention plan” to help keep you healthy and to help prevent future illnesses / diseases. Your AWV is tailored to your current health and you will be required to fill out a Health Risk Assessment form to detect your potential risk factors.
Some aspects that your provider will look into include:
- Learning about your family medical history
- Routine measurements such as height, weight, & blood pressure
- Detection of cognitive impairment (ie: Alzheimer’s or dementia)
- Looking for signs of depression
- A medication review of your prescriptions, vitamins, and other supplements
At this time, your provider may and give you advice for promoting wellness (weight loss, physical activity, etc.) or give you referrals for preventative services. They will also give you a list of all screenings they suggest for the next 5-10 years. If certain symptoms or risks factors are detected during your AWV, your provider may suggest further diagnostic treatment, and it’s possible that Medicare would bill you for those additional services.
Please keep in mind that you cannot receive your Annual Wellness Visit within the same year as the Welcome to Medicare preventive visit or within 12 months of your prior AWV.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your Annual Awareness Visit, please reach out to Senior Benefit Services. We pride ourselves in being able to help our clients understand all of their Medicare benefits.
1-800-627-2768
