Have you heard about medical wellness visits? They are a relatively new development in the healthcare world, and as a result, not many people understand exactly what they are. If you don’t know what happens during a wellness visit, how much the visit costs, and what exactly the visit is for, you aren’t alone. These visits are available to anyone who has Medicare, and they can be advantageous. In today’s blog, we want to discuss Medicare wellness visits in hopes we can clear up any confusion you might be experiencing.
What Exactly Is a Wellness Visit?
You may think “physical exam” when you see “wellness visit,” but they are not the same thing. If you go into one of these visits expecting a routine physical, you won’t have your expectations fulfilled. In order to make the differences between these two treatments clear, we’re going to review what happens in a routine physical and what happens during a wellness visit.
A routine physical exam generally includes the following:
- Inspection: the doctor will look at your body to determine if it is having problems.
- Auscultation: the doctor will listen to your heart, lungs, and possibly digestive tract to ensure everything is healthy.
- Percussion: the doctor will tap parts of your body and listen to the sound in order to get clues about your health.
- Palpation: the doctor will use his or her hands to feel parts of your body in order to determine if problems are present.
As you can see, a physical exam is literally that: it’s an examination of the current health of your body. It sometimes requires you to remove clothing in order for the doctor to get an accurate view of what is going on. A wellness visit is different. It can be completed without any clothing being removed because its purpose is to help you and your doctor stay on top of your health in general.
A Medicare wellness visit will include the following:
- An assessment of your lifestyle and any health risks associated with it.
- Creating a realistic schedule for the health screenings needed in the coming years to keep you on-track.
- Reviewing a list of your health care providers.
- Making a list of all the medications you take, including the over-the-counter medications.
- Assessing you for depression and cognitive issues.
As you can see, a wellness visit is designed to keep your health journey on track. It is more of a macro, overall view that allows you to figure out if you’re doing a good job of maintaining your health.
How Often Do Medicare Wellness Visits Happen, and How Much Do They Cost?
You will have a first appointment called a “Welcome to Medicare Visit.” After that first visit, you will be able to have an annual wellness visit to stay on track. Because wellness visits are completely covered by Medicaid, you won’t owe a copayment.
The Value of Preventative Medicine
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and they are right. Getting health issues addressed early is the best way to save yourself money, pain, and inconvenience in the long run. The Medicare wellness visit gives seniors an advantage by making it practically effortless to stay on top of their health with professional help.
Turn to The Heritage
Health plays an integral role in your quality of life, and at The Heritage, we want to make it easy for our community members to stay healthy. We understand what it takes to live life to the fullest, and we do everything we can to foster the independence of those who choose to live with us in Hammonton. When you choose us, you get the ability to select your living space and customize it. You get three full meals a day, scheduled trips and outings, transportation to appointments, and a full calendar of events. This is a place that can truly become your home!
When you visit us in New Jersey, you can enjoy a free visit that allows you to dive into our community and see what life could be like at The Heritage. We have created a fee structure that gives you the flexibility you need to customize your assisted living experience. You won’t have to deal with upfront fees or long-term contracts. Contact us today to learn more!