Medicare covers health maintenance without copayment, as of January 1, 2011
This means that your deductible amount doesn't apply to health maintenance visits
Health maintenance means preventive care, or health care provided to someone who feels well
Screening means looking for health problems in patients who have no symptoms from those problems
So we use the terms "health maintenance," "preventive care," "well visit," "wellness visit," and "screening examination" to mean pretty much the same thing. They are like the old "annual physical"
"Welcome to Medicare" visits were introduced January 1, 2009, and were also called the "Initial Preventive Physical Examination (IPPE)"
Before that time, Medicare coverage for health maintenance measures was not comprehensive
If your very first well visit under the Affordable Care Act is within 12 months of your becoming a Medicare beneficiary, it will actually be a "welcome to Medicare" visit. There's not much difference
People of Medicare age sometimes have health problems that aren't causing symptoms. Certain measures are recommended to help detect such problems before they create symptoms
While lab testing might be part of a well visit, it's not the same thing
Usually we will discuss health issues, examine the patient, and make recommendations for screening procedures
Those recommendations are different for different people, depending on your age, gender, and known health issues
We generally follow the suggestions of the United States Preventive Services Task Force, a group of doctors who examine the scientific literature to determine which screening measures are most valuable
If some of the time has to be spent discussing ongoing health problems, that part of the visit isn't included in the Well Visit category, so you might have to pay your copayment or deductible for a portion of the visit. Another option would be to schedule a separate visit to deal with, say, your diabetes
Much of the information about Medicare wellness visits was written by the folks at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration.
Their terminology is somewhat opaque. Here, "opaque" means "nearly impossible to understand." If you'd like to read it in the original, click here
Below, we've tried to translate it into plain language
Obtain medical history
Obtain family history
List all your doctors
List other providers (like visiting nurses, physical therapists, or others)
List suppliers (if you have medical equipment)
Measure height
Measure weight
Take blood pressure
Calculate BMI (body mass index)
Measure waist size
For memory loss or difficulty understanding normal activities
For physical difficulties that could prevent participating in normal activities or could put the patient in danger
For depression, past or present
Making a list of screening measures advised for the next 5 to 10 years
Making a list of immunizations advised for the next 5 to 10 years
Making a list of recommended treatment
To lower your risk
To treat conditions that you already have
Suggesting services, including
Health education
Preventive counseling
Resources to help you manage health problems or risk factors
Advance care planning
Being sure that your family knows your wishes if your health gets extremely bad
