@ucbalumnus That’s a great link & summary of the differences. A true wellness exam does not cover much, which is infuriating imho. We discovered this when we changed from employer coverage to Medicare.
One purpose of going to the MD regularly is to catch issues before they become bigger problems. A “hands-on” physical is far better for this than the typical “Wellness” questionaire, which can be done virtually.
I’ve asked others how their MD’s handle it, and have found a wide variety of differences. Some shared their annual exams cover nothing but the Wellness questionnaire. Some say it still includes a light physical. One person I know, goes to a regional clinic for a full and extensive physical exam every year, including labwork and their visit IS fully covered by Medicare.
This is very confusing! Is it all dependent on how it is coded? Do some Advantage plans cover full physicals, while Traditional Medicare does not?