Seize the opportunity for a healthier you with an annual wellness visit

If wellness is a renewed focus for you, how do you find time to hash out a personalized wellness plan? Through an annual wellness visit with your provider.

What is an annual wellness visit?

Different from an annual physical, your annual wellness visit is a 30-minute appointment that serves as a health consultation. Your provider doesn't take your vitals or perform screening exams. Instead, you have an in-depth discussion about your health goals and develop a plan to follow. Each year, the two of you review and update your resulting wellness plan.

Paul Sieckmann, MD, chief medical officer for HonorHealth Medical Group, describes the annual wellness visit as an opportunity to be proactive and forward thinking about your health. For seniors, he says “it's a time for you to have a heart-to-heart discussion with your provider about ways to age gracefully in the healthiest way possible.”

What can I expect during a wellness visit?

During your annual wellness visit, you and your provider will create a health plan to help you better manage or prevent chronic diseases, manage your risk factors for different health conditions and answer any general questions you may have. Visits typically include:

  • Reviewing your personal and family health history
  • Creating/updating a list of your prescription medications
  • Discussing ideal height, weight and blood pressure
  • Noting any signs of cognitive impairment
  • Identifying and addressing risk factors and related treatments
  • Outlining an individualized screening schedule for preventive services, including vaccinations
  • Discussing advance care planning, also known as advance directives

Dr. Sieckmann says he makes sure he reviews issues important to seniors during their Medicare-covered annual wellness visits. He addresses issues such as balance and preventing falls, diet and nutrition, memory, vaccinations and end-of-life planning, among other topics.

Are wellness visits covered by insurance?

Many commercial insurance plans allow one free wellness visit per year in addition to routine annual physicals that generally require a copay. However, because benefits vary by health insurance company and specific plan, it's up to you to confirm exactly which visits are included in your plan. An important factor to consider is that only certain things are covered during the annual wellness visit. If you ask your provider to treat another issue on this visit, you may receive a bill for a copay.

Before scheduling your annual wellness visit and creating a workable plan for improving and/or maintaining your health for the coming year, confirm coverage benefits with your insurance provider.

Get started

To learn more and schedule your annual wellness visit with an HonorHealth doctor, call 623-580-5800 or use Find a Doctor.

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