Your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit: What’s Included and Why You Need It

Your Medicare annual wellness visit is completely free. Not discounted. Not subject to a deductible. Free — and most Medicare patients never schedule it.

This visit isn’t a luxury. For patients 65 and older, it’s one of the most effective preventive care tools available — and it happens to cost you nothing.

What Is the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit?

The Medicare annual wellness visit (AWV) is a comprehensive preventive health appointment covered at 100% under Medicare Part B — with no copay and no deductible. You’re entitled to one per calendar year after your first year of Medicare coverage.

The most important thing to understand: it is not a physical exam. It’s a health planning session. Your doctor reviews your health history, assesses risks, screens for cognitive and mood issues, reviews medications, coordinates screenings, and builds a personalized prevention plan. Proactive, not reactive.

What Happens During Your Visit

• Health Risk Assessment — lifestyle habits, family history, functional ability, and concerns
• Medication Review — all prescriptions, supplements, and OTC drugs checked
• Vital Measurements — blood pressure, height, weight, BMI
• Cognitive Function Screening — three-word memory test to detect early cognitive decline
• Depression Screening — standardized questions to assess emotional health
• Personalized Prevention Plan — screenings due, vaccinations needed, lifestyle recommendations

Why Seeing Your Doctor Every Year After 65 Matters

The body changes after 65 in ways that don’t announce themselves. Blood pressure rises silently. Blood sugar climbs without symptoms. Cholesterol builds in arteries you can’t feel. These conditions cause strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failure — and all are manageable if caught early.

Your Palm Medical Centers physician sees you year after year. When they know your history — what your blood pressure typically runs, how your weight has tracked — they can recognize meaningful change faster than any urgent care visit ever could.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Annual Wellness Visit

• Bring a complete medication list with current dosages
• Write down your questions and concerns beforehand
• Mention any new symptoms, even minor ones
• Ask about screenings you may be due for
• Bring a family member or trusted person for a second set of ears

Annual Wellness Visit vs. Annual Physical: Know the Difference

The annual wellness visit is a Medicare benefit, covered at 100%, focused on prevention planning and health risk assessment — no hands-on physical examination. The annual physical is a traditional exam that includes a physical assessment. Medicare may apply cost-sharing to the physical. If you haven’t had your wellness visit this year, start there — it costs you nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the annual wellness visit really free with Medicare?

Yes. Covered at 100% under Medicare Part B with zero copay and zero deductible — as long as you haven’t had one in the past 12 months.

What three words should I remember for my Medicare wellness exam?

During the cognitive screening, your doctor will ask you to remember three words and recall them a few minutes later. This establishes a baseline and tracks changes over time — it’s not a pass/fail test.

How is a wellness visit different from a physical?

A wellness visit focuses on health risk assessment, medication review, and prevention planning — no hands-on exam. A physical includes a body examination and may have cost-sharing under Medicare.

Can I schedule lab work at the same time as my wellness visit?

Yes — lab work is billed separately but can be ordered the same day. Ask your Palm Medical Centers team before your visit so you know what to expect cost-wise.

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