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If you’re enrolled in Medicare Part B, you have access to a valuable preventive benefit that many people don’t fully understand or take advantage of: the Annual Wellness Visit (AWV). Unlike a traditional physical exam, this comprehensive appointment is designed to help you and your healthcare provider develop a personalized plan to prevent disease and disability based on your current health and risk factors. Our Medicare Annual Visit focuses on keeping you healthy rather than treating existing conditions. Understanding what this visit includes and how to prepare for it can help you make the most of this important Medicare benefit and take a proactive approach to your long-term health and well-being.
About Medicare Part B
Medicare includes “Parts” that are the building blocks of your health and drug coverage: Part A, Part B, and Part D. Also, “Medicare Advantage” is sometimes known as Medicare Part C.
- Medicare Part A is sometimes called Hospital Insurance. It covers hospital care—like inpatient care in a hospital, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and some home health care. It is usually not necessary to pay a monthly premium for Part A.
- Medicaid Part B, or Medical Insurance, covers services like certain doctor visits, outpatient care, medical equipment like wheelchairs, and preventive services, like flu shots.
Premiums: With Part B, you’ll pay a premium every month. In many cases, if you don’t sign up when you’re first eligible, you’ll have to pay a late enrollment penalty, which is added to the monthly premium cost for as long as you have Part B. That can add up, so it’s important to pay attention to your deadlines.
What Part B covers
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) provides coverage for two main categories of healthcare services:
- Medically Necessary Care: Services, treatments, and medical supplies that healthcare professionals consider essential for diagnosing or treating your specific medical conditions, following established medical standards.
- Preventive Care: Healthcare services aimed at preventing illness or catching health problems early when they’re most treatable, such as vaccinations and screenings. Most preventive services come at no cost to you when you receive care from healthcare providers who accept Medicare assignment.
It’s important to note that if you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan or another type of Medicare plan, it may operate under different guidelines. However, all Medicare plans are required to provide coverage that equals or exceeds what Original Medicare offers.
Part B’s coverage includes:
- Ambulance services
- Clinical research
- Durable medical equipment (DME)
- Limited outpatient prescription drugs
- Mental health & substance use disorders
- Oxygen equipment & accessories
- Annual Wellness Visits
About Medicare Annual Visits
As part of your Annual Wellness Visit, you’ll complete a “Health Risk Assessment” questionnaire. This assessment helps you and your healthcare provider create or update a tailored prevention strategy to optimize your health outcomes.
Your appointment will typically encompass:
- Standard health measurements such as height, weight, and blood pressure
- Personalized wellness guidance and recommendations
- Discussion of your medical history and family health background
- Evaluation of your current medications
- Future care planning conversations
- Development of a preventive care schedule outlining recommended screenings and services
- An optional assessment of social factors that may affect your health and treatment
Read more: 6 Key Benefits of Scheduling Your Annual Medicare Wellness Visit
Additionally, your provider will conduct a cognitive evaluation to identify potential signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. This screening looks for difficulties with memory, learning, concentration, financial management, and daily decision-making. Should your provider detect possible cognitive concerns, Medicare will cover a follow-up appointment for more comprehensive cognitive testing and evaluation for conditions such as dementia, depression, anxiety, or delirium.
For patients currently prescribed opioid medications, your healthcare provider will assess your risk factors for opioid use disorder, evaluate your pain management plan, discuss alternative non-opioid treatment options, and provide specialist referrals when appropriate. Your provider will also evaluate risk factors for substance use disorders, including alcohol and tobacco use, and coordinate treatment referrals as needed.
Visita anual de Medicare con CareLife Medical
At CareLife, you will find a compassionate team ready to provide you with a safe and professional space for Medicare annual visits and any other Medicare needs.
Make the most of your coverage and take a proactive look at your health by the hands of experts at CareLife. Visit or call our Church Falls, Virginia location to take the reins of your health today.
Your life deserves personalized care. Contact us and let us guide you.