Medicare Wellness Visit: Creating a Preventative Plan

Have you scheduled your Medicare Wellness Visit?

Medicare recipients are eligible for an annual preventative care visit, billed to Medicare, and performed by a nurse who works with the patient’s primary care provider. At SVMC’s primary care practices, Jenna Crawford, RN is the face of Medicare Annual Wellness visits and her approach is getting a great response from patients who were, at first, unsure about the process.

Jenna answered the most frequently asked questions and explains how the visits benefit patients.

Q. Is a Medicare Wellness Visit the same thing as an annual physical?

A. No, this is a yearly wellness visit with a Registered Nurse. At this visit, I’ll talk to you about prevention and wellness topics.  You will not have a full exam at this visit. 

Q. What do we cover during the visit?

A. We’ll review your chart together, including your preventative care plan, historical health information, current health information, family history, medication reconciliation, and immunization history.

Other information that will be discussed, includes:

• Height, weight, BMI, blood pressure and other routine vitals.
• Review current medications and allergies.
• Discuss Advanced Directives.
• Review current care providers, past medical/surgical history, family and social history and discuss health risks.
• Discuss home safety, fall risks and assess hearing/cognitive function.
• Discuss preventive services such as vaccines, colon cancer and breast cancer screenings

Q. Will my doctor see what we are doing?

A. Yes your doctor will be informed of what we discuss. I send your chart off to the Doctor for review that same day. 

Q. Can I still see my doctor if I am seeing you?

A. Yes of course you can. When you checkout from our Wellness Visit you can be scheduled for a future appointment with a provider.

Q. Will this exam cost me anything?

A. These visits are billed to Medicare, but are covered so you will pay nothing for the visit.  However, you may have to pay coinsurance and the Part B deductible may apply if:

• Your healthcare provider performs additional tests or services during the same visit.
• These additional test or services are covered under the preventive benefits.

Q. What are other Medicare patients saying about these visits?

A. We’ve been getting great response from patients and patient caregivers. Below is some recent feedback.

“Jenna is very compassionate and caring. Very knowledgeable. Thank you for this program!” – Patient

“My father saw the Medicare annual screening nurse, Jenna. I was SO grateful and appreciative of Jenna's way of posing questions to him that gave him respect and preserved his dignity while still obtaining accurate answers…. She is the best!” – Patient caregiver

Q. How do I make an appointment?

Call your primary care office to make an appointment for a Medicare Wellness Visit, which can be scheduled once every 12 months.

Jenna Crawford, RN, provides Medicare Wellness Visits at SVMC practice sites.