Loyola Medicine Encouraging Medicare Wellness Visits to Help Prevent Disease and Disability

MAYWOOD, IL – Loyola Medicine is encouraging seniors to undergo annual Medicare wellness visits as a way to help prevent disease and disability.

The visits are available once a year to patients who are 65 and older and on Medicare Part B. Most insurance plans will pay for one wellness or preventive exam per year.

A wellness visit provides face-to-face time with a primary care physician or nurse practitioner, who reviews the patient's health history, screens for potential health issues, reviews medications and makes healthcare plans.

During the wellness visit, the healthcare team will:

• Review and update the patient's medical and family history
• Review and update a list of providers and prescriptions
• Record height, weight, blood pressure and other routine measurements
• Establish or update a disease-screening schedule based on health status, screening history and age
• Provide health advice and a referral, if appropriate, to health education or preventive counseling services or programs
• Discuss advance care planning
• Assess any cognitive (memory) issues
• Update immunization records and order recommended vaccinations

A wellness visit does not include a physical exam or discussion of new problems or a detailed review of chronic conditions.

To make an appointment for a wellness visit at Loyola Medicine, call 888-584-7888.