{"id":237,"date":"2026-08-04T20:22:41","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T01:22:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/does-medicare-cover-annual-physical-dallas\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T20:22:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T01:22:41","slug":"does-medicare-cover-annual-physical-dallas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/does-medicare-cover-annual-physical-dallas\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Medicare Cover an Annual Physical? What Dallas Seniors Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Medically reviewed by <a href=\"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/about-us\">Dr. Rajan Kohli, MD<\/a>, board-certified Family Medicine physician &mdash; Lakewood Primary Care and Wellness, Dallas.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>It is one of the most common and most confusing questions we hear from patients approaching 65: <strong>does Medicare cover an annual physical?<\/strong> The short answer surprises a lot of people. Original Medicare does <em>not<\/em> cover a traditional head-to-toe annual physical exam. What it does cover is a yearly <strong>Annual Wellness Visit<\/strong> &mdash; and understanding the difference can save you an unexpected bill and help you get the most out of your Medicare benefits.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article is educational and not a substitute for personalized medical or insurance advice. Coverage can vary by plan; confirm specifics with Medicare or your plan.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>The Short Answer: Wellness Visit, Not a Physical<\/h2>\n<p>Medicare Part B covers preventive visits, but not the routine annual physical many people had through their working years. Instead, Medicare covers three related preventive benefits:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The &#8220;Welcome to Medicare&#8221; visit<\/strong> &mdash; a one-time preventive visit available during your first 12 months on Part B.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Annual Wellness Visit (AWV)<\/strong> &mdash; available every 12 months after that.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Routine preventive screenings<\/strong> &mdash; many are covered separately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>None of these is the same as a comprehensive physical exam, and knowing that up front is the key to avoiding surprise charges.<\/p>\n<h2>Annual Wellness Visit vs. Annual Physical: What&#8217;s the Difference?<\/h2>\n<p>A traditional <strong>annual physical<\/strong> typically includes a hands-on, head-to-toe exam &mdash; listening to your heart and lungs, checking reflexes, an abdominal exam, and often routine bloodwork. Medicare generally does not pay for this as a standalone preventive service, so if your visit is billed as a full physical, you may owe out of pocket.<\/p>\n<p>A <strong>Medicare Annual Wellness Visit<\/strong> is different by design. It is a prevention-and-planning visit focused on your overall health picture rather than a physical exam. A typical AWV includes reviewing your health history and medications, recording vital signs like height, weight, and blood pressure, a screening for cognitive changes, a review of your risk factors, and building or updating a personalized prevention plan and screening schedule. When provided by a participating provider, the AWV is covered with no copay or deductible.<\/p>\n<p>Think of it this way: a physical checks your body today; the Annual Wellness Visit builds the roadmap for keeping you healthy going forward.<\/p>\n<h2>What Preventive Care Does Medicare Cover?<\/h2>\n<p>Beyond the wellness visit, Medicare covers many specific preventive services, often at no cost when you use a participating provider. These commonly include cardiovascular screenings, diabetes screening, certain cancer screenings, a bone density test when indicated, vaccines such as flu and pneumonia, and depression screening. The exact list and frequency depend on your eligibility and risk factors &mdash; which is precisely what your provider helps you sort out during a wellness visit.<\/p>\n<h2>Can I Still Get a Full Physical?<\/h2>\n<p>Yes. Many patients choose to have a more thorough exam and address specific concerns during the same appointment. If your physician evaluates a symptom or manages a condition during your visit, that portion may be billed to Medicare as a separate service and normal cost-sharing may apply. A good primary care office will explain what is covered and what may carry a cost before you are surprised by a bill.<\/p>\n<h2>New to Medicare in Dallas? We Can Help<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Lakewood Primary Care and Wellness is accepting new Medicare patients<\/strong> in Dallas. Led by Dr. Rajan Kohli, MD &mdash; a board-certified Family Medicine physician on staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas &mdash; our practice helps you understand exactly what Medicare covers, complete your Annual Wellness Visit, and build a prevention plan around your health. Because we are located right on the Presbyterian campus, labs, imaging, and specialists are all in the same building.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/lakewood-primary-care-exam-room-dallas.jpg\" alt=\"Modern exam room at Lakewood Primary Care and Wellness in Dallas\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Does Medicare cover a yearly physical exam?<\/strong><br \/>Not a traditional physical. Medicare covers a yearly Annual Wellness Visit and a one-time Welcome to Medicare visit, which focus on prevention and planning rather than a head-to-toe exam.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit free?<\/strong><br \/>When provided by a participating provider, the Annual Wellness Visit is typically covered with no copay or deductible. Additional services addressed during the visit may be billed separately.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What should I bring to my Annual Wellness Visit?<\/strong><br \/>A list of your current medications, your medical and family history, and the specialists you see. Our team guides you through the rest.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How often can I have an Annual Wellness Visit?<\/strong><br \/>Once every 12 months after your first year on Medicare Part B.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are you accepting new Medicare patients in Dallas?<\/strong><br \/>Yes. Lakewood Primary Care and Wellness welcomes new Medicare patients. Call 214-810-4331 to schedule.<\/p>\n<h2>Schedule Your Medicare Wellness Visit in Dallas<\/h2>\n<p>Don&#8217;t leave your benefits on the table. <a href=\"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/chrono-appointment\">Request an appointment<\/a> with Lakewood Primary Care and Wellness, or call 214-810-4331, and we&#8217;ll help you make the most of your Medicare coverage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Medically reviewed by Dr. Rajan Kohli, MD, board-certified Family Medicine physician &mdash; Lakewood Primary Care and Wellness, Dallas. It is one of the most common and most confusing questions we hear from patients approaching 65: does Medicare cover an annual physical? The short answer surprises a lot of people. Original Medicare does not cover a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":235,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-medicare","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=237"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakewoodprimarycarewellness.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}