Welcome to Medicare/Medicare Wellness Exams

What is a Welcome to Medicare/Medicare Wellness Exam?

 During the first 12 months that you have Part B, you can get a “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit.  This visit includes a review of your medical and social history related to your health, and education and counseling about preventive services, including certain screenings, shots, and referrals for other care, if needed.  When you make your appointment, let your provider's office know that you would like to schedule your “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit. 

You pay nothing for the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit.  However, if your provider chooses for you to have additional tests or services during this visit, you may be financially responsible.

 If you’ve had Part B for longer than 12 months, you can get a yearly “Wellness” visit to develop or update a personalized plan to prevent disease or disability based on your current health and risk factors.  This visit is covered once every 12 months. 

Medicare covers a full range of preventive services to help keep you healthy and help find problems early, when treatment is most effective.  The following is a list of preventive services that you should ask your provider that is right for you.

            Preventive Services:

·         Aspirin daily

·         Alcohol misuse screening and counseling

·         Bone mass measurements (Bone Density)

·         Cervical and vaginal cancer screening

·         Colorectal cancer screening

·         Depression screening

·         Diabetes screening and self-management training

·         HIV screening

·         Obesity screening and counseling

·         Prostate cancer screening

·         Sexually transmitted infections screening and counseling

·         Tobacco use cessation counseling

·         Vaccines:  Hepatitis B, Influenza, Pneumovax, Prevnar

·         Cardiovascular screenings (cholesterol, lipids, triglycerides)

·         Mammogram

A Welcome to Medicare/Medicare Wellness Exam DOES NOT replace an office visit if you have conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.  You will still need to make a separate appointment to address these matters.