Medicare Annual Wellness Visit: What’s Covered, How to Book, and How It Differs From a Physical

Medicare Annual Wellness Visit: What’s Covered (and What Isn’t)

Key takeaways

• Medicare Part B covers a yearly “Wellness” visit once every 12 months if you are eligible.[1]
• You pay nothing for the visit itself if your doctor or other provider accepts assignment. The Part B deductible does not apply to this visit.[1]
• It is a conversation-based prevention visit, not a routine physical exam. Extra tests or a full physical done the same day may cost you.[1][2]
• Your first Wellness visit cannot be within 12 months of starting Part B or of a “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit—but you do not need Welcome to Medicare first.[1]
• Bring a medicine list and ask for your written screening/vaccine checklist. Pair it with

.

Wellness visit vs. “annual physical” vs. Welcome to Medicare

Medicare.gov says: if you have specific health concerns, schedule a separate appointment so the Wellness visit stays focused on prevention.[1]

What’s included in the yearly Wellness visit

Medicare.gov lists these elements (your clinician personalizes them):[1]

• A Health Risk Assessment questionnaire
• Routine measurements (height, weight, blood pressure)
• Review of medical and family history
• Review of current prescriptions
• Health advice and a written plan (like a checklist) of screenings, vaccines, and other preventive services you need
• Offer to talk about advance directives
• Optional physical activity and nutrition risk assessment
• A cognitive assessment looking for signs of dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease)
• Check for substance-use disorder risk; if you use opioids, a review of pain treatment and non-opioid options

CMS’s clinician summary also describes depression screening, functional ability and safety (including fall risk), a current providers list, and a written screening schedule based on USPSTF and ACIP recommendations for roughly the next 5–10 years.[3]

If your provider thinks you may have cognitive impairment, Medicare covers a separate visit for a more thorough review.[1]

Cost: free visit ≠ free everything that day

• $0 for the Wellness visit when the provider accepts assignment; Part B deductible does not apply.[1]
• If the same visit includes additional tests or services Medicare does not cover under this preventive benefit, you may owe coinsurance and the deductible—or the full amount for uncovered services such as a routine physical.[1]

Ask the office before the visit: “Will anything today be billed outside the yearly Wellness visit?”

How to schedule (practical checklist)

1. Confirm you have Part B and that it has been more than 12 months since Part B started (and since Welcome to Medicare or your last Wellness visit, if you had one).[1]
2. Call your primary-care office and say you want a Medicare yearly Wellness visit (not only “a physical”).
3. Bring:[2][3]
   • Immunization and medical records
   • Family health history
   • Full list of prescriptions, OTC drugs, vitamins, and supplements
   • List of your doctors and suppliers
4. After the visit, keep the written prevention checklist. Compare it with

. 5. Use Open Enrollment windows on our Medicare enrollment page if plan networks or drug coverage affect follow-up care.

FAQ

Is the Wellness visit the same as a physical?
No. Medicare.gov describes it as conversation-based prevention planning, not a routine physical exam.[1]

Do I need Welcome to Medicare first?
No. You don’t need that visit to qualify for a yearly Wellness visit, but timing rules still apply.[1]

Does it cover lab work or a full exam?
The preventive benefit itself is the Wellness visit content above. Extra tests or a physical may not be covered the same way—ask your office.[1]

Can we talk about living wills there?
Yes. Providers offer to discuss advance directives during the Wellness visit.[1] See also Living will and advance directives.

What about Part B premiums?
The visit cost is separate from your monthly premium. See Medicare Part B premium.

Free help

• Local SHIP counselor: see How to find SHIP/SHIBA and shiphelp.org
• Medicare: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227); TTY 1-877-486-2048

• Related: Medicare enrollment
• Related: Medicare Part B premium
• Related: Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap
• Related: Medicare Part D
• Related: Vaccines for seniors
• Related: Hospice vs palliative care

Sources

1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Yearly “Wellness” visits. Medicare.gov. https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/yearly-wellness-visits. Accessed October 30, 2026. (Full page opened.)
2. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit. Medicare.gov. https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/welcome-to-medicare-preventive-visit. Accessed October 30, 2026. (Full page opened.)
3. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Annual Wellness Visit. CMS.gov. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coverage/preventive-services/medicare-wellness-visits/annual-wellness-visit. Accessed October 30, 2026. (Full page opened.)

Disclaimer

This article is for general education only and is not medical, legal, or financial advice. We do not sell, endorse, or recommend any insurance plan or company. Talk to your doctor or a SHIP counselor about your situation. In an emergency, call 911.

Attribution

Portions of this page are adapted from "HowToLiveBetter" (高性价比人生指南) by eternity4719, https://github.com/eternity4719/HowToLiveBetter, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Changes: adapted and rewritten for the U.S. context (not a direct translation), and re-sourced to U.S. Medicare.gov and CMS guidance. China’s insurance chapters were not used.