Medicare Annual Wellness Clinic
Wellness Physicals
A number of preventive services are available free or at low cost to people with Medicare, one of them is the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit. The Annual Wellness Visit is a yearly checkup that Medicare covers for most enrollees. The visit is intended to help people with Medicare maintain good health by catching signs of disease early on and taking a preventive approach to healthcare.
The Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) was introduced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to help address health risks faced by older populations and encourage Medicare recipients to take charge of their health. Research shows that people with Medicare who take advantage of the AWV are more likely to receive important preventive care services like vaccines and cancer screenings than those who skip out on the visit.
It is important to understand that the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is not a full head-to-toe physical exam. It’s a visit that focuses on the patient as a whole rather than a specific problem. Looking at risk factors and health history including some age-appropriate screenings help identify early conditions that can lead to chronic disease.
During or before your visit, you will be asked to complete a “Health Risk Assessment.” The assessment is a questionnaire that asks about your health status, injury risks, and urgent health needs.
Your first annual wellness visit will be the most comprehensive. In addition to completing the Health Risk Assessment, you can expect the provider to:
- Record your height, weight, blood pressure, other basic measurements
- Assess your functional ability and safety risks
- Ask about your medical and family history
- Document all of your medications
- Screen for cognitive impairment and depression
- Schedule any overdue screenings or immunizations
- Provide any appropriate referrals
- Provide you with a Preventative Health Plan
Your Primary Care Provider will be notified of the results of all findings, orders or referrals made by the Medicare Annual Wellness Provider. Any follow up visits will be made with your regular Primary Care Provider.
Click here for more information about Medicare Annual Wellness Visits.
If you are on Medicare or know someone who is, be sure to have them take advantage of this FREE benefit. Call 812-885-6766 for more information or to schedule an appointment. The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Clinic is located at the Medical Center of Vincennes (MCV) Suite I.
