Medicare Annual Wellness Visits

Your doctor or health care provider will ask you to fill out a questionnaire, called a “Health Risk Assessment,” as part of this visit. Answering these questions can help you and your doctor develop or update a personalized prevention plan to help you stay healthy and get the most out of your visit. Your visit may include:

• Routine measurements (like height, weight, and blood pressure).

• A review of your medical and family history.

• A review of your current prescriptions.

• Personalized health advice.

• Advance care planning.

• A screening schedule (like a checklist) for appropriate preventive services.

• An optional “Social Determinants of Health Risk Assessment” to help your provider understand your social needs and their impact on your treatment.

Your health care provider will also perform a cognitive assessment to look for signs of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Signs of cognitive impairment include trouble remembering, learning new things, concentrating, managing finances, and making decisions about your everyday life. If your health care provider thinks you may have cognitive impairment, Medicare covers a separate visit to do a more thorough review of your cognitive function and check for conditions like dementia, depression, anxiety, or delirium and design a care plan.