Yep, the new Medicare Wellness Visits are FREE — as long as your doctor accepts Medicare Part B assignments. And, they cover a whole host of preventative services for seniors.
Enacted this year as part of the Affordable Health Care Act, starting January 1, 2011, Medicare recipients who have had Part B longer than 12 months, qualify for an “Annual Wellness Visit” to develop or update a personalized prevention plan based on their current health and risk factors.
According to the medicare.gov website, wellness visits include:
- A review of medical and family history
- Height, weight, blood pressure, and other routine measurements
- A screening schedule for appropriate preventive services
- A list of risk factors and treatment options for each patient
Click here to review and download a “Check List” that covers ALL the free preventative services currently provided by Medicare’s annual “Wellness Check-Ups”.
Note: If you have had Medicare Part B for at least 12 months, a “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit is not required before getting a yearly “Wellness Check-Up”. However, if you do get the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit during your first year, you will have to wait 12 months before you can get your first free annual Wellness Check-Up.