Medicare Wellness Visits

When it comes to your health, what’s important to you is important to us.

At Sutter Health, it’s our goal to provide you with exceptional, personalized care and service. We’ll partner with you to design a roadmap for protecting and preserving your health.

As a Medicare or Medicare Advantage member you are eligible for free, annual visits with your doctor. During these visits, you, your doctor and your care team, will partner to develop a comprehensive, personalized plan for improving your health and preventing disease. It’s a great opportunity to talk about your health care goals—for today and into the future.

Medicare pays for two types of wellness visits: a one-time Welcome to Medicare Visit and an annual Medicare Wellness Visit.

Welcome to Medicare Visit

Medicare covers this one-time visit within the first 12 months of joining Medicare. Your doctor will review your medical and social history and provide education and counseling about preventive services such as health screenings, immunizations and referrals for other care, if needed.

Your Welcome to Medicare Visit also includes:

• Height, weight and blood pressure measurements
• A calculation of your body mass index
• A simple vision test
• A review of your potential risk for depression and your level of safety
• A discussion about creating an end-of-life care plan
• A written overview of screenings, immunizations and other preventive services

Medicare Wellness Visits

If you’ve had Medicare for longer than 12 months, you’re eligible for an annual Medicare Wellness Visit. These visits are designed to develop or update a personalized plan to help prevent disease and disability based on your current health and risk factors and answers from your Medicare questionnaire. At the end of your visit, your health care provider will print a copy of your plan, which will include a list of upcoming screenings and visits.

You may also find a copy of your plan on My Health Online.

Your Medicare Wellness Visit also includes:

• Height, weight and blood pressure measurements
• A review of your medical and family history
• Screening for cognitive impairment
• A screening schedule for appropriate preventive services
• Time to develop or update your list of care providers and medications
• Time to review a list of risk factors and treatment options—personalized for you

If you are a new member of Medicare, you are eligible for a one-time Welcome to Medicare Visit during the first 12 months of enrollment. If you’ve had Medicare for longer than 12 months, you are eligible for an annual Medicare Wellness Visit.

Your Wellness Visit is not a physical examination. It is a time for you and your doctor or care team to create a personalized plan for improving your health and preventing disease.

Your one-time Welcome to Medicare Visit and your annual Medicare Wellness Visit are covered by Medicare. However, if your doctor or other health care provider performs additional tests or services during the same visit that are not covered under these preventive benefits, you will be responsible for your usual co-pay or deductible.

Before your visit, your health care provider will send you a questionnaire—via mail or through your My Health Online account. Answering these questions will help you and your doctor develop a personalized prevention plan for improving your health.

Please remember to also bring:

• All of your medications in their original bottles, including over-the-counter medications and supplements
• Medicare card or other insurance card
• Photo ID
• Documents outlining end-of-life care wishes*
• Power of attorney*
  
  *if available