Three different visits
| Visit | When | What you pay |
|---|---|---|
| "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visit | Once, within your first 12 months of Part B | Nothing, if your provider accepts assignment |
| Yearly wellness visit | Once every 12 months, after your first 12 months of Part B | Nothing, if your provider accepts assignment |
| Routine physical exam | Any time | Not covered by Original Medicare |
What the yearly wellness visit includes
Medicare.gov describes it as a visit to build or update a personalized prevention plan. It includes:
- A health risk assessment questionnaire.
- Routine measurements such as height, weight and blood pressure, and a review of your medical and family history and your prescriptions.
- A cognitive assessment and a substance use risk review.
- A written checklist of the screenings and vaccines you're due for.
- An offer to talk about advance directives.
Medicare.gov says plainly that this visit "isn't a routine physical exam." If you want to discuss a new symptom or manage a condition, that's a separate visit.
When you might pay
The visit itself costs nothing with a provider who accepts assignment, and the Part B deductible generally doesn't apply. But if your provider does extra tests or services that the wellness benefit doesn't include, Medicare.gov says you may owe coinsurance (20% of the approved amount), the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) may apply, and you may owe the full cost of anything Medicare doesn't cover. Ask before extra services are added.
Use the visit for Oregon planning
The advance-directive conversation fits Oregon's tools: the Oregon advance directive form and, for people with serious illness, a POLST form signed by a provider. See POLST and Medicare in Oregon.
Medicare Advantage plans must cover the wellness visits too. Medicare Advantage plans may offer extra benefits such as dental, vision, hearing or fitness. Extra benefits vary by plan and county, may have limits and costs, and not every plan offers them. Check a plan's Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage. You can request a call from a licensed insurance agent to compare plans from the companies they work with.
Related questions
Does Medicare cover flu shots in Oregon?
Vaccines on your checklist.
Does Medicare cover a colonoscopy in Oregon?
Screening schedules and costs.
Does Medicare cover mammograms in Oregon?
Yearly screening for women.
How do I make an advance directive in Oregon?
Oregon's form, step by step.
Sources
More questions in this guide
- Does Medicare cover acupuncture in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover ambulance service in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover assisted living in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover bone density tests in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover cataract surgery in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover chiropractic care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover a colonoscopy in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover CPAP machines in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover dental care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover diabetic supplies in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover flu shots in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover hearing aids in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover home health care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare pay for in-home caregivers in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover mammograms in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover me when I travel or spend winters outside Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover medical marijuana in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover memory care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover mental health care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover naturopathic doctors in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover nursing home care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover oxygen therapy in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover physical therapy in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover prostate cancer screening in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover psilocybin therapy in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover skilled nursing care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover the shingles vaccine in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover transportation to medical appointments in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover vision care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover wheelchairs in Oregon?
Part of the guide: Learn Medicare — the Oregon starter guide · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Why did I get a bill after my wellness visit?
If your provider did extra tests or treated a problem during the visit, those services are billed separately. Medicare.gov says you may owe coinsurance, and the Part B deductible may apply. If Medicare doesn't cover a service, you may owe the full cost.
Do I need the Welcome to Medicare visit to get a yearly wellness visit?
No. Medicare.gov says you don't need a Welcome to Medicare visit first. The yearly visit is covered once you've had Part B for more than 12 months, once every 12 months.
Can I talk about an advance directive or POLST at the visit?
Yes. The yearly wellness visit includes an offer to discuss advance directives. In Oregon, that's a good time to ask your provider about an Oregon advance directive or a POLST form.
Medicare in your Oregon county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Multnomah · Washington · Clackamas · Lane · Marion · Jackson · Deschutes · Linn · Douglas · Yamhill · Benton · Polk · Josephine · Umatilla · Klamath · Coos · Columbia · Lincoln · Clatsop · Malheur · All 36 counties →
