A Welcome to Medicare visit is a one-time preventive checkup covered by Medicare Part B, designed to establish a health baseline when you first enroll. It’s not a head-to-toe physical exam. Instead, it’s a structured conversation with your doctor to review your health history, identify risk factors, and map out which preventive services you should be getting going forward. You can schedule it within the first 12 months of your Part B coverage, and if you miss that window, you lose the opportunity permanently.
What Happens During the Visit
The visit covers a lot of ground, but most of it is conversational rather than hands-on. Your provider will review your full medical and social history, including past surgeries, hospitalizations, allergies, current medications, supplements, family medical history, diet, physical activity, and social engagement. They’ll also ask about alcohol, tobacco, and drug use history.
The physical portion is relatively brief. Your provider will measure your height, weight, blood pressure, and BMI (or waist circumference). They’ll check your balance and gait, and give you a basic vision screening. That’s the extent of the physical exam itself.
Beyond the measurements, your provider will screen for depression using a standardized questionnaire, assess your fall risk, check for hearing impairment, and review your ability to handle daily activities safely, including driving. If you currently take opioid medications, the provider will evaluate your pain management plan, discuss non-opioid alternatives, and screen for potential misuse. Everyone gets screened for substance use disorder risk factors regardless of their medication history.
One component that catches people off guard is end-of-life planning. Your provider will offer to discuss advance directives, the legal documents that spell out your wishes for medical care if you become unable to make decisions yourself. This is entirely optional, but the visit is designed to at least open that conversation.
The Written Prevention Plan
The most useful thing you’ll walk away with is a personalized written checklist of the screenings, vaccines, and preventive services you’re due for based on your age, health history, and risk factors. This plan may include referrals to specialists and a recommendation for a one-time screening electrocardiogram (EKG) to check your heart rhythm. Think of this checklist as your preventive care roadmap for the years ahead.
Your provider will also review which immunizations you need, such as flu shots, pneumococcal vaccines, and other recommended vaccines. These aren’t necessarily given during the visit itself, but your provider will let you know what’s covered and when to schedule them.
What It Does Not Include
This visit is not the same as a traditional annual physical. It doesn’t automatically include blood work, lab tests, or diagnostic imaging. If your provider orders labs or additional tests during the appointment, those are billed separately. Medicare typically covers medically necessary diagnostic lab tests at no cost to you, but it’s worth asking your provider upfront what’s included in the visit versus what will be billed as a separate service.
If your doctor addresses a new health complaint or manages an existing condition during the same appointment, that portion may be billed as a standard office visit, which could mean a copay or coinsurance. To avoid surprise charges, let your provider’s office know when scheduling that you’re coming in specifically for your Welcome to Medicare visit.
What You Should Bring
Since the visit revolves around a thorough review of your health background, preparation makes a real difference. Bring a complete list of every medication, vitamin, and supplement you take, including dosages. If you have medical records from previous providers, especially surgical histories or records of chronic conditions, bring those too. Write down your family medical history ahead of time, particularly conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer in close relatives. The more complete your information, the more useful your personalized prevention plan will be.
How It Differs From the Annual Wellness Visit
Medicare also covers yearly “Wellness” visits, but these are separate from the Welcome to Medicare visit. The Welcome to Medicare visit is a one-time benefit available only during your first 12 months of Part B enrollment. Annual Wellness Visits are ongoing, available every year after that, and focus on updating your prevention plan and tracking changes in your health over time.
Your first Annual Wellness Visit can’t take place within 12 months of your Part B enrollment date or within 12 months of your Welcome to Medicare visit, whichever applies. However, you don’t need to have completed the Welcome to Medicare visit to qualify for Annual Wellness Visits later. If you missed the 12-month window for your Welcome to Medicare visit, you can still start getting yearly Wellness Visits once 12 months have passed since your Part B enrollment.
Cost
Medicare covers the Welcome to Medicare visit at no cost to you when your provider accepts Medicare assignment, meaning there’s no copay, no coinsurance, and the Part B deductible doesn’t apply. This is true for the preventive visit itself. Again, any additional tests, labs, or services your provider orders during the same appointment may be billed separately and could carry their own costs. Before agreeing to any extra services during the visit, ask whether they’re covered under the preventive benefit or whether you’ll owe something out of pocket.