Medicare · Coverage
Does Medicare cover annual wellness visits?
Last reviewed October 28, 20264 min readBy the Goodsurance editorial team Reviewed by the Goodsurance editorial team
Medicare pays the full cost of a yearly wellness visit when your provider accepts assignment. But many people are surprised by what it is, and by a bill after it. It is a planning talk with your doctor, not a full physical exam. Here is what happens, what costs you nothing, and how to avoid extra costs.
Two different preventive visits
Medicare has two preventive visits. Which one you get depends on how long you have had Part B.
- Welcome to Medicare visit: a one time visit in your first 12 months with Part B. Your provider reviews your health history, checks your weight and vision, and gives you a list of the screenings and shots you need.
- Yearly wellness visit: once every 12 months after that. Your first one cannot be within 12 months of joining Part B or of your Welcome to Medicare visit.
You do not need to have had a Welcome to Medicare visit to get a yearly wellness visit.
In short: Welcome to Medicare in year one, then a wellness visit every 12 months.
What happens at a yearly wellness visit
You fill out a short health survey. Then you and your provider make or update a plan to help you stay well. Your provider will:
- Check your height, weight, and blood pressure.
- Go over your health history, your family history, and your medicines.
- Check your memory and thinking, to look for early signs of dementia.
- Ask about alcohol, tobacco, and drug use, and refer you for help if needed.
- Give you a written list of the screenings and shots you need.
- Offer to talk about advance directives. These are papers that say what care you want if you cannot speak for yourself.
- Order other tests, if your health calls for them.
You may also be offered a short check of your eating and exercise habits.
It is not a full physical exam
This is the part that trips people up. The yearly wellness visit is a talk about prevention. It is not a head to toe physical exam. The Welcome to Medicare visit is not a full physical either.
Original Medicare does not cover a routine physical exam. If your provider does one during the same visit, you may pay the full cost of that part.
Medicare suggests booking a separate visit for a health problem you want to talk about. That keeps the wellness visit focused on prevention.
What you pay, and how a bill can show up
You pay nothing for the wellness visit if your provider accepts assignment. Assignment means they take Medicare's approved amount as full payment. The Part B deductible does not apply.
A bill can show up when your provider does more than the wellness visit at the same time:
- Extra tests or services that Medicare covers: you may pay 20% of the approved amount, and the $283 Part B deductible for 2026 may apply.
- Services Medicare does not cover, like a routine physical: you may pay the full amount.
- If you have a Medigap plan: every plan pays some or all of your 20% share for covered extras.
- If you have Medicare Advantage: check your plan's Evidence of Coverage for costs and network rules.
- If you have Medicaid too: Medicaid may pay your share. Ask your state Medicaid office.
Can you say no to it, and how to get the most from it
Yes, you can say no. The wellness visit is a benefit you can use, not a rule you must follow. Medicare.gov describes it as a visit you can get if you are eligible. Nothing on that page says you must have it.
If you do go:
- Ask for the yearly wellness visit by name when you book.
- Ask if the provider accepts assignment.
- Bring a list of all your medicines, vitamins, and supplements.
- Before any extra test or exam, ask: "Is this part of my free wellness visit, or will it cost me?"
New to Medicare? See our guide for people new to Medicare.
In short: the visit costs you nothing if your provider accepts assignment, and it is optional; ask before any extra test so you are not surprised by a bill.
Common questions about Medicare
Quick answers, fast .
Tap any question to expand. Each links to a fuller standalone answer.
Is the Medicare annual wellness visit mandatory?
No. It is a benefit you can choose to use. Medicare.gov describes it as a visit you can get, not one you must have.
Is the annual wellness visit the same as a physical?
No. It is a talk to plan your preventive care, with some basic checks like weight and blood pressure. Original Medicare does not cover a routine physical exam.
Why did I get a bill after my free wellness visit?
Your provider likely did extra tests or services during the visit. Covered extras can cost you 20% and the Part B deductible. Services Medicare does not cover, like a routine physical, can cost you the full amount.
How often does Medicare pay for a wellness visit?
Once every 12 months. Your first one cannot be within 12 months of joining Part B or of your Welcome to Medicare visit.
References
- Medicare.gov, Yearly "Wellness" visitsWhat the yearly visit includes, who is eligible, and what you pay.
- Medicare.gov, "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visitThe one time visit in your first 12 months with Part B.
- Medicare.gov, Doctor & other health care provider servicesWhich visits cost you nothing and which cost 20%.