Medicare Annual Physicals
At Primary Care of Kansas, we understand the importance of staying healthy as you age and annual preventive care plays a key role in maintaining your well-being. Many patients ask about Medicare annual physicals, so here’s a helpful explanation of what Medicare covers and what you can expect.
What Medicare Covers?
Medicare does not pay for a traditional annual physical exam like those covered under many private insurance plans. Instead, Medicare Part B pays for an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) once every 12 months at no cost to you when your provider accepts Medicare assignment.
These visits focus on preventive care and health planning, not physical exams or diagnostic tests.
What’s Included in the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit
- Develop or update a personalized prevention plan
- Review your health risk assessment
- Check routine measurements
- Review medical and family history
- Assess cognitive and mental health
- Plan future preventive services and screenings
What the Wellness Visit Doesn’t Include
Although it’s called a “wellness visit,” this Medicare benefit does not include:
- A traditional head-to-toe physical exam
- Lab tests like blood work or urine analysis (unless medically necessary)
- Diagnostic imaging such as X-rays
- Treatment or diagnosis of active medical problems
- Prescribing or changing medications during the visit
Why Annual Wellness Visits Matter
The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit helps:
- Establish your health baseline and preventive care schedule
- Detect risk factors early
- Keep your health records up to date
- Plan necessary screenings before symptoms develop
