Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia Encourages Seniors to Take Advantage of Medicare's Annual Wellness Visit

As Baby Boomers age, it is more important than ever for them to be proactive about their health to accomplish their goals, which may include traveling, volunteering or helping children or grandchildren, according to Dr. Mark Kishel, medical director for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, which serves thousands of Boomers in its Medicare Advantage plans.

“When we go to the doctor’s office, it is usually to address an immediate concern,” Dr. Kishel explained. “But Boomers need to take a longer term view of their health. They need to talk to their doctors about taking the right steps over the next five or 10 years. This can help them to address small problems before they escalate.”

Fortunately, Medicare offers an “Annual Wellness Visit” to cover just these kinds of things. The visit is available once every 12 months at no cost to the member. Unfortunately, not enough members are taking advantage of it.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia encourages eligible members to schedule this visit as soon as possible. To ensure proper payment, members should request Medicare’s “Annual Wellness Visit.” Unlike an annual physical, it won’t include tests, although the clinician may recommend additional testing, such as an EKG or blood work. It does include an evaluation by a licensed health care provider on a number of important issues, including the following.

Mental health: The clinician will use an established assessment tool to evaluate the member’s mental health, including screening for possible depression, allowing for earlier intervention. Depression can cause people to become isolated or suicidal, yet 62 percent of seniors say they haven’t been asked whether they are sad, depressed or anxious. The most common cause of elderly suicide is untreated depression. Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA) cover many mental health services.

Height and weight: The clinician will chart the member’s height and weight, comparing it to earlier benchmarks. Loss of height can indicate osteoporosis, while weight loss or gain can signify other serious health problems.

Review of functional ability, including risk of falls: Falls cause more than 2 million injuries in people age 65 and older annually, but more than two-thirds of seniors haven’t been asked if they’ve fallen or been provided with advice on how to avoid tripping on carpets or slipping on stairs. The clinician will evaluate the member’s risk and provide tips for maintaining muscle mass. Some MA plans also include fall prevention programs.

Preventive screenings and vaccinations: Certain screenings are recommended for people at certain ages, including screenings for colon cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer. The clinician will review what screenings the member has had and identify any gaps. Additionally, members will be told about vaccines that may be needed to prevent or slow conditions such as the flu, pneumonia, hepatitis and shingles. Many of these tests and screenings are covered by Medicare and MA. Members should check their plans for details.

Personal advice and referrals. This may include a variety of matters, such as addressing bladder control issues or recommending an exercise program. Bladder control is a problem for millions of people, particularly older adults, but few talk to their doctor about it. This also is a great time to talk to a clinician about starting an exercise routine. Some MA plans include a free gym membership to help.

These are but a few of the issues covered in an Annual Wellness Visit that makes it so valuable, especially to older adults. Remember that this is a dialogue and questions are welcome. “It’s a great opportunity for people to get engaged in their health without the pressures of needing immediate treatment,” Dr. Kishel said. “This includes putting together a plan for where they are and where they want to be.”