Just completed my initial assessment at my Drs office. Couple of memory questions and overall health stuff. What was interesting is the Dr reviewed my shot records and recommended the pneumonia shot and then said I was due in May for my tetanus shot. Said Medicare will pay for the pneumonia shot but would only pay for the tetanus shot if I was recently pricked or cut. I immediately thrust out my arms to show the barb wire cuts and such from working at the lease last week. She smiled and said ‘that’ll work.’

They always look at my scars as "life experiences", and don't even question it anymore. Probably get a tetanus shot every 3-4 years.

Good for you getting checked Jim!!!

Not my choice, but Medicare can refuse to pay for some things without it. Wasn’t a total waste of time since I got my shots.

I'm just starting on Medicare. I haven't seen anything about a wellness visit. Is this something that's required that I didn't see?

My Primary Dr set it up during a previous visit. Not mandatory but helps getting services approved down the road.

Thanks Jimbo1. Good to know. There's so much information to digest. I wasn't sure if I'd missed something.

Is a medicare wellness assessment any different from an annual physical?

Medicare doesn't pay for an annual physical exam. But it does provide coverage for a one-time checkup and an annual wellness visit, along with coverage for general, diagnostic doctor's visits.

I haven`t had a Tetanus shot since grad school.

I just started Medicare in Dec myself. I was totally happy with my Tricare Prime coverage the last 20+ years.

Guess the annual wellness visit is just a renamed annual physical. I went in for my first one in February.

Thats what I thought. Ive been going in for an annual checkup for many many years, regardless of insurance. Im always in great shape, but still......
I will add that if you go in the next year just a wee bit earlier than a year then medicare likely wont pay.

THIS !! Medicare has a tight calendar.

So far I’m not impressed at all with Medicare. Going to be 3 damn months getting my replacement CPAP machine. The govt promised me free medical for life for serving my country but I was pretty happy with Tricare Prime. Wish Elon could get us retired military out of Medicare and back on some form of Tricare…probably save them $ to boot.

Same here.

My wife got signed up on that and now they call all the time doing a wellness check on her. She doesn't answer anymore but they still get paid...it shows up on her statement I think it is a medicare scam.

Strange. Been on Medicare 6 or 7 years and never got a call of any kind.