Annual Wellness Visit is the Perfect Check In, and it’s Free

With all the focus on COVID, many have been neglecting their healthcare, but for those 65 and over, the Annual Wellness Visit is the perfect chance to check in with their doctor. “An Annual Wellness Visit’s an exam for seniors over 65,” explains Dr. Rick Waks. “Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans both let you have an Annual Wellness Visit. You’re entitled to it once a year. The wonderful thing for the patient is there’s no copay associated with it, so the visit’s completely free.”

During your Annual Wellness Visit, you talk with your primary care provider about how you’re doing, along with all of your preventive care, like your colonoscopy, mammogram, and blood work, to personalize a wellness plan just for you. “So often on the visits, we’re focused on your problems,” says Dr. Waks. “So, we don’t get to discuss things that need to be taken care of on a yearly basis.”

The pandemic has brought new trade-offs and choices for people to make, including whether, when, and how to resume their pre-pandemic healthcare routine. In fact, the Healthcare Cost Institute has found that the pandemic has caused a significant drop in the use of prevention and screening services.

“We don’t want to just see the patients when they’re sick,” clarifies Dr. Waks. “We want to take care of them when they’re healthy as well, and get all the necessary screening tests done that will prevent disease.”

While an Annual Wellness Visit may be free, the peace of mind it can give you throughout the year, and during this pandemic, could be priceless.