The most important doctor visit you’ll have all year

An annual wellness visit with your doctor is one of the best tools you have for staying on top of your health. This appointment gives you time to talk with your doctor about your health risks and learn ways to stay well and injury-free. Your doctor might even recommend new healthy habits to add to your routine. Plus, your visit will help keep you up to date on the preventive screenings and other tests you may need.

Your annual wellness visit is covered one time per calendar year at no cost to you as long as you’ve had your plan more than 12 months. It’s one of the perks of being a HMSA Medicare Advantage member. So why not take advantage of it? Here’s what to expect at your visit.

You’ll complete a health risk assessment

Your doctor will ask you to fill out a questionnaire called a health risk assessment. This assessment might include:

• A review of your medical and family history
• A review of your current conditions and prescriptions
• Height, weight, blood pressure, and other routine measurements

Are you ready for your next annual wellness visit?

Call your primary care provider to schedule an appointment. If you don’t have a PCP, you can use Find a Doctor on hmsa.com to search for a participating provider near you.

Find a doctor

You and your doctor will talk about your health and potential risks

Your answers to the health risk assessment, along with the measurements your doctor takes, can help you and your provider develop a prevention plan to help you stay healthy. After the assessment, your doctor may offer:

• Personalized health advice
• A list of risk factors and treatment options
• A checklist of appropriate preventive services, including screenings and vaccines
• Advanced care planning

Your doctor will check for signs of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease

Signs of cognitive impairment include:

• Having difficulty remembering or learning new things
• Concentrating
• Making decisions about your everyday life

If your doctor thinks you may have cognitive impairment, Medicare covers a separate visit for a more-thorough review to check for conditions such as dementia, depression, anxiety, and delirium.

You’ll get to ask plenty of questions

When you go for your annual wellness visit, your doctor will ask you a lot of questions. But it’s important that you come with your own questions. Here are some things you may want to discuss during your visit:

Is my blood pressure under control? Regular screenings for high blood pressure can help determine whether you’re at risk of health issues such as heart disease and stroke. They can also determine whether you’re at risk of kidney disease, which is often undiagnosed until its late stages when symptoms appear.

How can I prevent falls? Falls are the leading cause of injuries in older Americans, so talk to your doctor about getting a fall-risk assessment and ask for advice on fall prevention. This may include how to stay active and maintain strength and balance. You can ask how your medications or vision may impact your balance or how to make your home safer.

Any tips on how I can stop smoking? If you use tobacco, your doctor can connect you with resources to help you quit.

What kind of exercise should I do? A key part of staying healthy is working out regularly. But it can be hard to know what type of activity is best and for how long. If you’re having trouble making time to exercise, talk to your doctor about how to integrate healthy decisions and habits into your daily routine.

What foods should I eat? Your doctor can offer suggestions for foods that are good for you and warn you about foods to avoid, particularly if you have any health conditions.

How can I stay mentally strong? Changes in mood can be an important indicator of mental health struggles. Let your doctor know if you’ve been feeling down. They can connect you with a therapist who can help. They may also encourage you to stay active physically and socially, which research shows can help boost mood.

Sometimes I leak a bit of urine — what can I do about that? Urinary incontinence may become more common as you age. Tell your doctor if you’ve experienced any leakage so that you can find out why it’s happening and make a plan to manage the issue.

Am I at a healthy weight? Being overweight or underweight can have serious implications for your health. Your doctor can measure your height and weight and let you know if you’re outside a normal range.

Which preventive screenings do I need? Preventive screenings are a vital part of staying healthy, especially as you get older. But the type and frequency of screenings needed is different for everyone. To start, ask your doctor about breast cancer and colorectal cancer screenings and getting bone mineral density (osteoporosis) testing.

Additional source:
Annual wellness visit basics: Medicare.gov, Medicare Learning Network

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