Updated Program Dates - Medicare: Free "Welcome to Medicare" Visit

Have you recently turned 65 and enrolled in Medicare Part B? Did you know that Medicare provides you an introductory visit to assess your current health and form a strategy to keep you healthy for many years, all free of charge to you?* This introductory visit is called the "Initial Preventative Physical Examination" or more generally the "Welcome to Medicare" visit. The goals of the "Welcome to Medicare" visit include:

• A review of the individuals medical and social history with a focus on risk factors.
• A review of the individuals potential (risk factors) for depression or other mood altering disorders.
• A review of the individuals functional ability and safety.
• An examination to include an individuals height, weight, blood pressure, and a visual acuity screening.
• A referral for an electrocardiogram (EKG), if applicable.
• Education, counseling, and referral based on the results of the review and evaluation 
  services described in the previous five elements.
• Education, counseling, and referral (including a brief written plan such as a checklist provided to the individual for obtaining the appropriate screenings and other preventative services that are covered as separate Medicare Part B benefits.)

Please note, that the "Welcome to Medicare" visit does not include any laboratory tests. Any such tests which may be recommended by the health care provider will be billed separately as well as any preventive services which Medicare provides as benefits. Also note that the "Welcome to Medicare" visit is a preventative wellness visit and is not a "routine physical checkup" that some seniors may receive every year from their health care provider.

*"The Welcome to Medicare" visit is provideded free to Medicare Part B beneficiaries. Medicare pays for the visit and any co-pays or deductible payments of the patient are waived by Medicare. If you get additional tests or services during the same visit that aren’t covered under these preventive benefits, you may have to pay coinsurance, and the Part B deductible may apply. The welcome to Medicare visit is only available once per beneficiary in the first 12 months that the individual is enrolled in Medicare Part B, usually when they turn 65. Once 12 months have expired since the beneficiary has enrolled with Medicare Part B, the beneficiary is no longer eligible to receive the free visit, but they are eligible to receive a free "Annual Wellness" visit. Please visit our link here to learn about this free service to our Medicare Part B beneficiaries.

***Please note that this annoucenment was originally posted with the information that we would be accepting Medicare in Dec 2011. This information is outdated. The corrected dates are present in the article above.***

Update on Monday, June 18, 2012 at 1:29PM by The Steward

For more information about Medicare, its costs, and how you can use it to pay for your health insurace, try visiting out new Medicare Information Center. This part of our webpage has been designed to provide you with answers to your Medicare questions.