Whether you are new toMedicareor you’ve had a Medicare plan for several years, taking advantage of wellness visits is one step you can take to better health.
“Medicare has more focus today than before on wellness, and the wellness benefits are designed to help you stay well and identify problems as early as possible, both of which improve outcomes,” saidMark Meeker, DO, an internal medicine physician and vice president of Community Medicine at OSF HealthCare.
Two visits to schedule
如果你是医疗保险的新手，你有资格获得一次免费的“欢迎来到医疗保险”访问。此访问必须在您享受医疗保险计划的前12个月内完成。
Once you’re a Medicare member and after you’ve completed your “Welcome to Medicare” visit during your first 12 months of coverage, from that point on you are eligible to an annual wellness visit with your primary care provider.
这些拜访不仅对你有帮助，作为一个病人，他们也对你的护理人员有帮助。
“These visits provide dedicated times to review care gaps and health maintenance issues, which may get rushed or even overlooked during an acute illness visit or chronic disease management visit,” Dr. Meeker said.
‘Welcome to Medicare’
你只有一次这种类型的访问，而且必须在你有资格享受医疗保险的第一年进行。
During this visit, your primary care provider will complete the following:
- Medical and family history
- Depression screening
- Safety screening to make sure you can safely get around on your own
- Check of your height, weight, vision and BMI (body mass index)
- Education about your conditions
- Order screening tests
- Referrals to specialists for any areas of concern
- Discuss end-of-life planning
This visit does not include a physical exam. If you expect a physical exam, you must schedule an illness or preventive medicine visit. The “welcome” visit is fully paid by Medicare; you do not pay anything for this visit.
Annual wellness visit
Visiting yourprimary care providerfor an annual physical is an important step in your health care journey.
但对于那些享受医疗保险的人来说，每年的医疗保险健康探访也同样重要。健康检查每12个月进行一次，免费提供。
The visit is an opportunity to talk with your OSF HealthCare provider about how to stay healthy. During this visit, your provider will:
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- Update your medical and family history
- List the doctors and others who provide care to you and any medical equipment you use and update the list yearly
- Screen for mental functions such as memory and reasoning or depression
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- Conduct a safety screening to make sure you can safely get around on your own
- Check your height, weight, vision andBMI (body mass index)
- Provide education about your conditions
- Order screening tests
- Refer you to specialists for any areas of concern
- Develop a screening test schedule for the next five to 10 years
- Provide you a list of your personal risk factors and how it’s recommended you address them
- Provide you with personal health advice based on the information collected
- Discuss end-of-life planning
好好利用你的健康拜访。
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This visit does not include a physical exam. If you want a physical exam, you must schedule an illness or preventive medicine visit.
Taking care of yourself
The time you spend with your primary care provider during these appointments can better educate you about your personal health situation.
“It allows for time to dive into the ‘why’ behind screening tests and wellness topics,” Dr. Meeker said. “It better equips the patient with an understanding of what more they can do to lead the healthiest life possible.”
What to ask
Dr. Meeker recommends havinghealth screening and wellness questionsready when it’s time for your appointment, whether it’s a Welcome to Medicare visit or the annual wellness visit.
在参观期间问正确的问题可以帮助你获得你真正需要的信息。这五个问题可以帮助预防健康问题的出现。You can get other tips on how to prepare for your annual visithere.
- Do I need any vaccinations like theflu shot?
- Does my weight, diet or any other behavior put me at risk of diabetes, heart disease, or another condition?
- Should I be screened for high cholesterol, high blood sugar or high blood pressure?
- Are my medication needs still the same?
- 今年我还需要做其他健康检查吗，比如抑郁症检查或青光眼检查?
“Illness avoidance and early detection require an intentional effort,” Dr. Meeker said. “Good health is a very important piece to quality of life. Take the time to take care of yourself.”
If you’re new to Medicare or are behind in getting your annual visit, schedule your appointment with your primary care provider today throughOSF MyChart.