Did you know that as a new Medicare beneficiary you are entitled to a “Welcome to Medicare,” preventative visit within the first 12 months of your Medicare Part B effective date.
This exam is a great time for you and your Primary Care Physician, or your new doctor; to review your health history, discuss preventative services available to you under Medicare, and map out a plan of care moving forward.
It is important to note that you may be responsible for the Medicare Part B deductible as well as the 20% coinsurance may apply to any additional tests or services your doctor orders, outside of the list of covered preventative screenings and tests.
Those already on Medicare can schedule an annual “Wellness” visit to either develop or revise their personalized care plan. These plans are designed to prevent disease and disability using “Health Risk Assessment” questionnaires to enact prevention plans.
New and existing Medicare beneficiaries should be sure to mention that this is either their “Welcome to Medicare,” or their yearly “Wellness,” visit when scheduling appointment to ensure proper coding and billing.
Some of the preventative services covered by Medicare include:
- Bone density screenings and mammograms
- Cardiovascular disease screenings
- Cervical and vaginal cancer screenings/Prostate cancer screenings
- Vaccinations for the Flu, pneumonia, and Hepatitis B
For a complete listing talk with your doctor, or visit https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/preventive-and-screening-services.html
