Best Primary Care Doctor in Stone Oak, Live Oak, San Antonio Texas
Annual Wellness Visit
A once-a-year appointment focused on keeping small risks from becoming big problems. At Hillside Primary Care, your AWVs are built around a personal review of your health and a prevention plan you help create. This routine checkup gives a deeper look at your well-being and helps you feel your best all year long!
- 40+ Providers
- $0 for most Medicare Part B patients
- 18 Texas Locations
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Annual Wellness Visit at a Glance
An Annual Wellness Visit is a yearly Medicare-covered appointment focused on prevention, not treatment. It is built around a Health Risk Assessment and a Personalized Prevention Plan, and it is not the same as a physical exam.
Is an Annual Wellness Visit the Same as a Physical Exam?
No. This is the single most common point of confusion, so it is worth stating plainly: an Annual Wellness Visit and a physical exam are two different appointments with two different purposes. A physical exam is a hands-on, head-to-toe examination that can also address symptoms you’re currently having. An Annual Wellness Visit is a conversation-and-planning appointment focused on prevention, and it does not include the same hands-on exam.
| Annual Wellness Visit | Physical Exam |
|---|---|
| Focused on prevention and planning for the year ahead | Focused on evaluating your current physical health |
| Reviews your health history, risks, and medications | Includes a hands-on exam (heart, lungs, abdomen, reflexes) |
| Builds or updates your Personalized Prevention Plan | Can address a specific symptom or complaint |
| Covered at $0 for eligible Medicare Part B patients | Not covered by Original Medicare; cost depends on your plan |
Some patients benefit from scheduling both, on the same day or close together, since they cover different ground. Your Hillside provider can help you decide what makes sense for your health history.
Who Qualifies for an Annual Wellness Visit, and How Often Can You Have One?
You’re eligible for an Annual Wellness Visit once every 12 months, starting after you’ve had Medicare Part B for at least 12 months. If you’re newer to Medicare, there’s a separate, one-time visit designed for you first.
The Welcome to Medicare Visit vs. the Annual Wellness Visit
Welcome to Medicare Visit: A one-time preventive exam available during your first 12 months of Medicare Part B coverage. It establishes your health baseline. Once you’ve had this visit, or once your first 12 months of Part B pass, you move on to the Annual Wellness Visit going forward.
Annual Wellness Visit: Available every 12 months after that first year of Part B coverage. This is the recurring visit most Medicare patients will have year after year to keep their prevention plan current.
Not on Medicare, or unsure which applies to you? Our team can confirm your eligibility and the right visit type when you call to schedule.
What Happens During an Annual Wellness Visit
Your Annual Wellness Visit is built around two required components:
Health Risk Assessment
A structured review of your health, including your medical and family history, current medications, diet, activity level, and any safety or fall-risk factors. Depending on your age and history, this may also include a cognitive check and a depression screening.
Personalized Prevention Plan
Using what’s learned in the Health Risk Assessment, your provider builds or updates a written schedule of the screenings, vaccinations, and preventive services recommended for you over the next several years, along with a list of your current risk factors.
The visit also includes measuring your height, weight, blood pressure, and BMI, and reviewing your current medications to confirm everything is still appropriate.
Good to know: If you bring up a new or worsening symptom during your Annual Wellness Visit and your provider evaluates or treats it, that portion is billed separately from the wellness visit itself, the same way a sick visit is billed separately from a preventive visit. Your provider will let you know if that’s happening during your appointment.
What Your Provider May Follow Up On
If your Health Risk Assessment points to a specific concern, your provider may recommend a more focused evaluation. Depending on what comes up, that could include:
- Peripheral Vascular Disease Evaluation, for circulation-related risk factors
- Cardiac Evaluation with Echo, for cardiovascular risk factors
- Diabetes Evaluation and Management, for blood sugar or metabolic risk factors
Is an Annual Wellness Visit Covered by Insurance?
As a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, this appointment is covered by Medicare Part B at no cost for eligible patients, once every 12 months, when your provider accepts assignment. Most commercial insurance plans also cover an annual preventive or wellness visit at no cost when you stay in-network, though this varies by plan.
As noted above, if a specific health concern is addressed during the same appointment, that portion may be billed separately and subject to your plan’s copay or deductible.
See the insurance plans Hillside Primary Care accepts
Prefer to pay out of pocket, or don’t have coverage that includes this visit? View our self-pay pricing
How to Prepare for Your Annual Wellness Visit
A little preparation helps your provider build a more useful prevention plan. Bring:
- Photo ID and your insurance card (including your Medicare card, if applicable
- A current list of medications and supplements
- Any recent records from other providers or specialists
- Your family health history, if you haven’t shared it with us before
- A list of questions or concerns you’d like to cover
Why Choose Hillside Primary Care for Your Annual Wellness Visit
Your Annual Wellness Visit is performed by a Hillside Primary Care provider as part of our broader primary care team, board-certified and trained in evidence-based, preventive-focused medicine across all 18 of our Texas locations.
Annual Wellness Visits Available at Every Hillside Primary Care Location
Every Hillside Primary Care location offers Annual Wellness Visits. Find the clinic nearest you and book directly from its location page.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Annual Wellness Visit include blood work?
Not automatically. Blood work isn’t a required part of the Annual Wellness Visit itself, but your provider may order labs based on your Health Risk Assessment and Personalized Prevention Plan.
How long does an Annual Wellness Visit take?
Most patients should plan for a similar length of time to a standard office visit. Your first visit, or a visit where several health topics come up, may take a bit longer.
Can I combine my Annual Wellness Visit with a sick visit?
You can bring up a new concern during your Annual Wellness Visit, but if your provider evaluates or treats it, that part is billed separately as its own visit, similar to how a sick visit is billed apart from a preventive one.
Do I need an Annual Wellness Visit if I feel healthy?
Yes. The visit is designed for patients who feel well. Its purpose is evaluating risks before they turn into symptoms, not responding to a problem you already have.
Can a nurse practitioner or physician assistant perform my Annual Wellness Visit?
Yes. Annual Wellness Visits can be performed by a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or other qualified member of your care team working under a physician’s supervision.
Ready to Schedule Your Annual Wellness Visit?
Find the Hillside Primary Care location nearest you and get on the calendar.
