Press Release Brea, CA 3-1-18
Annual Wellness Visit through Medicare
By utilizing the WEBeDoctor Annual Wellness Visit template you can easily and quickly generate additional revenue for your medical practice. Medicare provides a generous fee for a Physician to perform this initial AWV and allows subsequent AWV’s in following years.
Patients may receive the initial Annual Wellness Visit exam after they have been enrolled in Medicare for more than one year, or it has been at least one year since their “Welcome to Medicare” exam.
Initial Preventive Physical Exam (IPPE)
“Welcome to Medicare” is only for new Medicare patients. This must be done in the 1st year as a Medicare patient.
Annual Wellness Visit (AWV), Initial
At least 1 year after the “Welcome to Medicare” exam, or the patient is enrolled in Medicare for at least one year.
Annual Wellness Visit (AWV), Subsequent
Once a year (more than 1 year + 1 day after the last Wellness Visit).
The Annual Wellness Visit is not the same thing as what many people refer to as their yearly physical exam. Medicare is very specific about what the “Annual Wellness Visit” includes and excludes (the WEBeDoctor AWV template includes all of the required items to be able to submit for reimbursement).
During the Annual Wellness Visit your Doctor will talk to you about your medical history, review your risk factors, and make a personalized prevention plan to keep you healthy. The visit does not include a hands-on exam or any testing that your doctor may recommend, nor does it include any discussion about any new or current medical problems, conditions, or medications. You may schedule another visit to address those issues or your doctor may charge the usual Medicare fees for such services that are beyond the scope of the Annual Wellness Visit (additional care and billing revenue for items discovered during the AWV).
If the patient would like to schedule an annual physical, including any lab work or other diagnostic testing, medication management, vaccinations, and other services, please understand that these services are to be charged and covered according to Medicare’s usual coverage guidelines. Medicare appreciates the trust you put in Medicare and your Physician to take care of your health care needs and recommends that you take advantage of this new AWV benefit to work with your Physician.