Wellness visits are a yearly checkup with a primary care provider designed to help you stay healthy throughout your life. Although you may be tempted to cancel or skip your wellness visit if you feel healthy, there’s more than one benefit to keeping – or scheduling – an annual appointment with your provider.

Overall health assessment

During a wellness visit, your provider will comprehensively assess your health and well-being. They will review your health history, along with other lifestyle factors that could be impacting your health, such as:

• Physical activity level
• Alcohol use
• Nutrition
• Sleep habits
• Tobacco use

Your provider will then help you create a plan to reach your best overall health, which could include recommendations for nutrition, exercise and other lifestyle changes.

Annual wellness visits are also an opportunity to share any concerns or questions you have with a trusted health expert, such as changes in your health over the last year or mental health concerns. As you get older, topics you may want to discuss include bladder health or fall prevention and safety.

Disease prevention

Your provider can help you catch health problems sooner or even prevent them altogether by recommending preventive screenings and tests based on your age, health history and national guidelines. This can include screening for conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. By finding health issues early, you can receive the most effective treatments.

Common preventive screenings include:

• Blood pressure checks to screen for high blood pressure
• Diabetes screenings, such as an eye exam, A1C test and kidney screening
• Mammograms to detect early signs of breast cancer for ages 40 and above
• Cervical cancer screenings to detect early signs of cervical cancer for ages 21 and above
• Colorectal cancer screenings to detect early signs of colon cancer or precancerous polyps for ages 45 and above
• Bone density testing to evaluate risk for osteoporosis

To help you stay protected from common illnesses and infectious diseases, your provider can also update your vaccinations. Over time, immunity from childhood vaccines can wear off and you may need boosters, along with other vaccinations based on your age, lifestyle and travel plans.

Medication review

As part of your overall health assessment, your provider will review your current medications and make sure they are still appropriate for your health needs. They’ll also check for any potential interactions and side effects. Remember to ask for an after-visit summary at the end of your appointment. This summary includes what was discussed and a list of updated medications and instructions.

Building a relationship with your provider

Seeing your provider annually helps you build a partnership for managing your health and can lead to better communication. When your provider knows you and your concerns, needs and goals, they can provide more personalized care. By establishing care with a primary care provider, they can care for you throughout your life, giving you a consistent go-to health expert. By establishing care with a primary care provider, you have a consistent go-to health expert.

Covered by insurance

Most insurance plans and Medicare cover annual wellness visits, making them accessible and affordable for everyone. This includes your Sanford Health Plan coverage, which covers your annual wellness visit at no charge.*

Be proactive and prioritize your health and wellness by scheduling a wellness visit today.

Need to find a primary care provider? View our provider directories below.

Medicare Advantage Provider Directory
Individual and Family Provider Directory

*When using in-network providers. Certain restrictions apply. See plan for details.

Sanford Health Plan and Sanford Health Plan of Minnesota have HMO, PPO, I-SNP and D-SNP plans with a Medicare contract and contracts with state Medicaid programs. Enrollment in these plans depends on contract renewal. Sanford Health complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate, exclude or treat people differently based on race, color, national origin, religion, pregnancy and related conditions, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics and intersex traits), age, disability, health status, marital status, arrest or conviction record or military participation in the administration of the plan, including enrollment and benefit determinations. If you have questions, please contact Customer Service at [insert phone number(s)]. If you are hearing- or speech-impaired, please call TTY 711. We are open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Oct. 1-March 31; and Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., April 1-Sept. 30.

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Last Updated On: 3.6.26 at 3:00 PM