Medicare

Medicare Annual Preventive Care Visit

Your Annual Preventive Care Visit is a time to assess your health. Learn what to expect and how to be prepared.
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Take control of your health

Preventive care supports you and your health care team in managing your overall well-being.

During your Annual Preventive Care Visit, your doctor will screen and assess you to help detect potential health issues early. Taking care of issues before they get worse helps improve your health outcomes and quality of life.

A Medicare Annual Preventive Care Visit can be one of three appointments with your doctor:

  • Annual Wellness Visit
  • Welcome to Medicare Visit
  • Annual Routine Physical
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What to expect at your visit

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) Medicare Advantage plans include a yearly preventive care visit with no copayment. You may have costs for other services not related to your annual preventive visit.

This visit focuses on keeping you healthy, not treating existing issues. It may include screenings, education, and counseling on topics like nutrition, exercise, quitting smoking, and fall prevention. The goal is to keep you healthy and reduce the risk of developing chronic health conditions.

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Health risk assessment
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Your doctor will evaluate your medical history, current health, and potential risk factors for chronic conditions.
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Health screenings
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You may have screenings for various health conditions such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes risk, and certain cancers.
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Medication review
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Your doctor will review your medications to ensure they're still necessary and safe.
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Vaccinations
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Visits may include flu and pneumonia vaccinations, as well as recommendations for other vaccines.
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Advance directive
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Your doctor will discuss an advance directive – a legal document that outlines what kind of measures you want if you're incapacitated and can't speak for yourself.
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Personalized prevention plan
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Based on your health risk assessment, your doctor will create a personalized prevention plan tailored to your unique health needs and goals.
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Preparing for your visit

Preventive visits (Annual Wellness Visits, Welcome to Medicare Visits, and Annual Routine Physicals) must be in person.

Be sure to bring:

  • Your medical records, including vaccination and surgical histories
  • Your prescription drugs, including over-the-counter (OTC) medications, supplements and vitamins you take, along with dosages and reasons for taking or using the medications
  • Your family health history

Your primary care doctor knows your health care needs best. Based on what they know about you, they can also refer you for additional care with the right provider for your unique needs. That’s why scheduling your Annual Preventive Care Visit with your primary care doctor is so important.

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Helpful tips

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Need help finding a doctor?
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If you don’t have a primary care doctor yet, please log in to the Blue Cross NC member portal to search for an in-network doctor near you, or call the Customer Service number on the back of your member ID card.
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Your plan may provide $0 transportation to your visit
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Check your Evidence of Coverage to see if your plan includes no-cost transportation to and from your appointments.
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Cash in on your reward
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Get a $50 reward for completing your Annual Preventive Care Visit. You can claim your reward with your Blue FlexCard and use it for various health-related purchases.
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reference
/content/bcbsnc/us/en/fragments/members/medicare-prefooter