All About the Annual Wellness Visit

If you get an annual physical, you may wonder why you need an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV). This visit can help prevent health issues from becoming more serious and perhaps even help maintain your independence. Let’s look at some examples.

You’ve had some issues with balance. You don’t think it’s serious, but balance problems could lead to falls that cause broken bones. At an AWV, your provider’s office would note your balance issue and send you for physical therapy to strengthen your bones and muscles and prevent future falls.

You live alone, and over the years your circle of family and friends has grown smaller. You start sleeping more and doing less. Without realizing it, you develop clinical depression. With an AWV, your provider’s office catches the depression early, starts medication, and recommends online support groups, wellness programs, and possibly therapy.

These are just two examples of how an Annual Wellness Visit can help you and your provider recognize, treat, and prevent common health issues.

What to Expect at Your Visit

An AWV is a covered service with a $0 copay in-network. Most are performed by a trained member of your provider’s clinical staff. They include measurements of height, weight, and blood pressure, a review of any specialists you see, screenings for memory loss and depression, a review of screenings you may need, a fall risk assessment, and an immunization review.

Bring a list of any specialists, medications, and immunizations (especially if you got them at your pharmacy or another provider’s office) with you to your AWV.

AWVs are different from your annual physical, which is a more extensive exam performed by your doctor; it usually includes bloodwork and other tests. Both visits are important and provide the information you and your doctor need to keep you healthy.