Medicare wellness visit or annual physical: what’s the difference?

A Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is primarily a prevention and planning visit. It commonly includes a health-risk assessment, review of medical and family history, medication review, screening schedule, safety assessment, and a personalized prevention plan.

What an annual physical focuses on

A traditional physical examination generally focuses more directly on examining the body and evaluating current medical problems. Medicare coverage and patient cost-sharing can differ depending on which services are performed and how they are billed.

How to prepare

• Bring an accurate medication and supplement list.
• Bring the names of other physicians involved in your care.
• Write down recent health changes and your main questions.
• Bring advance-directive documents if you would like them reviewed.

Coverage varies by service and plan. Contact the clinic and your insurance plan when you need an individualized benefit estimate.