Whether it is your first time, or one of many, attending your Medicare annual wellness visit every year is good for your health.

The annual wellness visit, paid for by your Medicare insurance, is a preventive conversation with your health care provider to help you stay well. It starts with a health risk assessment and includes a review of your family history, prescriptions, cognitive abilities, measurements, advance care planning, preventive screenings due and more.

Ann Carpenter, a retired teacher, explained why she participates in the Medicare annual wellness visit.

“I want to best equip myself with a way to continue to live a full life … and keep my wellness a priority,” said Carpenter. “I benefit from working in partnership with my doctor. I want to know if there are things I’m not noticing. This visit gives us an opportunity to work together to make sure I’m doing everything I can to stay healthy, not only for myself but my loved ones around me.”

Bill McEntee, a retired physicist, had a personal health scare and personal loss that convinced him to never miss his Medicare annual wellness visit.

“Medicare wellness visits take care of the emotions. It takes care of concerns, worries and doubts that you might have. That keeps you moving and rolling along in a great state of health,” said McEntee. Specifically for men, he said, “The idea is you want to stay healthy, you want to stay in shape. It is like taking care of your big F-250, you have to change the oil, you gotta keep the engine in shape … Think of your body just like that. This annual wellness visit is good for you.”

Attending a Medicare annual wellness visit helps reduce your risk for common preventable health problems and prepares you for better long-term health.

“While it isn’t a physical exam, it is just as important,” said Emily Balser, MD, a Samaritan Health Services physician. “It is a step back to look at your overall health so that going forward you are set up to stay well and enjoy things that matter most.”

To learn more about a Medicare annual wellness visit, visit our website or watch a video.

To schedule a Medicare annual wellness visit, call 541-812-5177. You can also make an appointment request with your provider through MyChart.