Medicare benefit at Clinic

If you are new to Medicare part B within the past 12 months, you should consider calling the Odessa Clinic and making an appointment for your “Welcome to Medicare” visit.

This is not a physical exam. This is an introductory visit for your provider to review your medical and social history as it relates to your health, education and counseling about preventive services. Your visit will include:

• Certain screenings, shots and referrals for other care, if needed

• Height, weight and blood pressure measurements

• A calculation of your body mass index

• A simple vision test

• A review of your potential risk for depression and your level of safety

• An offer to talk with you about creating advance directives.

• A written plan letting you know which screenings, shots and other preventive services you need.

If you have been on Medicare Part B more than 12 months, then you qualify for a free “Annual Wellness Visit.” This visit can be used in the same way to develop or update a personalized prevention plan. This plan is designed to help prevent disease and disability based on your current health and risk factors. You will be asked up fill out or update a questionnaire, called a “Health Risk Assessment,” as part of this visit. Answering these questions will help you and your provider develop a personalized prevention plan to help you stay healthy and get the most out of your visit. It can also include:

• A review of your medical and family history

• Developing or updating a list of current providers and prescriptions

• Height, weight, blood pressure, and other routine measurements

• Detection of any cognitive impairment

• Personalized health advice

• A list of risk factors and treatment options for you

• A screening schedule (like a checklist) for appropriate preventive services.

• Advance Care Planning

You pay nothing for the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit or the “Annual Wellness Visit” at the Odessa Clinic because we accept assignment with Medicare. The Part B deductible doesn’t apply.

However, you would have to pay coinsurance and Part B deductible if additional tests or services happened in this visit, as they won’t be covered under this special benefit. For this reason, we want to be sure our Medicare patients understand this is not a complete physical. Any other services would be scheduled separately. This is a wonderful benefit to our Medicare patients and we want you to know that we are ready to take care of you. Call the Odessa Clinic at 509-982-2614 to schedule your appointment.

“Welcome to Medicare” visit and “Annual Wellness Visit” are free to patients who have Medicare Part B. There is no deductible and there is no co-pay by the patient. This is a benefit provided by Medicare.