There are two types of preventive wellness visits under Medicare Part B — the “Welcome to Medicare” visit and the “Annual Wellness” visit.
Welcome to Medicare Visit
When first enrolling in Medicare Part B (medical/outpatient) coverage, Medicare covers a preventive visit once within the first 12 months of your Part B start date. There is no cost for this visit if your medical provider accepts Medicare assignment. The Part B deductible doesn’t apply in this case, meaning the deductible won’t have to be met in order to get the wellness visit covered by Medicare.*
During the Welcome to Medicare visit, your medical provider will review your medical and social history, discuss wellness practices, and provide counsel on preventive services. When deemed necessary, your medical provider will:
Measure height, weight, and blood pressure.
Calculate body mass index (BMI).
Give a simple vision test.
Perform screenings, administer flu and/or pneumococcal shots, and discuss the importance of referrals for other types of medical services.
Review your potential risk for depression and your level of security.
Offer to talk about creating advance directives, in the event you cannot make medical decisions on your own.
Create a written plan regarding the screenings, shots, and other preventive services you might need in the future.
Annual Wellness Visit
If you’ve been enrolled in Medicare Part B for more than 12 months, you can receive an Annual Wellness Visit once every 12 months.
Just like the Welcome to Medicare visit, the Part B deductible doesn’t apply* and you pay nothing for the Annual Wellness Visit, as long as your medical provider accepts Medicare assignment (or in the case of a Medicare Advantage plan, the provider needs to be in-network).
This visit is similar to the Welcome to Medicare visit and can include the following:
Completion of a Health Risk Assessment questionnaire to provide a baseline to help prevent disease and disability.
Review of your medical and family medical history.
Develop or update a list of current medical providers and prescriptions.
Measure height, weight, blood pressure, and other routine assessments.
Evaluate cognitive impairment.
Develop treatment options.
Create a screening checklist/schedule of future preventive services.
* It’s important to note that the Part B deductible may apply and additional coinsurance costs may arise if your medical provider performs additional tests or services during these visits. The additional items aren’t covered under the preventive benefits provided by Medicare Part B. Always ask questions to ensure you understand why your medical provider is recommending particular services and whether or not Medicare will pay for them.
Reference Links
Medicare.gov
Welcome to Medicare Visit
Annual Wellness Visit
Neither Medicare Mindset LLC nor its agents are connected with the Federal Medicare program.
