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The easiest way to answer these questions is by listing what will be done at your Medicare Annual Wellness Exam (MAW):
- Recording of your complete health history
- Screenings to detect depression, your risk for falling and other risks such as dementia
- Recommendations for other wellness and preventive services, and healthy lifestyle changes
- Review of your Advanced Directives
If you have had Medicare Part B for longer than 12 months, you should have your MAW so your provider can review where you are with your preventive care. This visit isn't a hands-on physical exam. Deductibles and co-insurance are waived for the MAW as long as no additional tests or services are ordered. It is essential to understand that you cannot address any medical issues with a "problem diagnosis" attached to them—this will turn the visit into a "problem-focused visit," and additional charges may be incurred.
Medicare wants you to be WELL with this visit; therefore, the best advice is to follow the Health Risk Assessment paperwork you are given and answer the questions you are asked—if you try to sneak in anything else or ask for referrals, medication refills, or discuss any other problems that you may have, you are no longer having an MAW. However, you can make an appointment to address any health concerns at your next visit.
To learn more about how Island Health supports your Medicare journey, click the link below.
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