Page 24 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JunE 27, 2025 Say nr Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Does Medicare Cover Annual Physical Exams? Dear Savvy Senior, Does Medicare cover annual physical exams? I’ve gotten a physical every year since I turned 50 and would like to find out what Medicare covers when I sign up in a few months. Almost 65 Dear Almost, No, Medicare does not pay for annual physical exams, but it does cover a one-time “Welcome to Medicare” checkup during your fi rst year after enrolling in Part B. And after that, it covers annual wellness visits to keep track of your health. Here’s what you should know. Physical vs Wellness Exam In an annual physical, a doctor examines you, may do bloodwork and other tests and looks for problems even though you don’t have a specifi c complaint or risk. The Welcome to Medicare checkup and annual wellness visits are diff erent. They focus primarily on preventive care. Your doctor will review your risk factors, develop a personalized health plan for you, check that you’re up to date with preventive tests such as cancer screenings and flu shots and may refer you for other tests. Here’s a breakdown of what these exams may include. Welcome to Medicare Checkup This is an introduction to Medicare and focuses on health promotion, disease prevention and detection to help you stay well. It’s an opportunity for your doctor to assess your health and provide a plan for care. During this visit your doctor will: Take your height, weight, and blood pressure measurements, and calculate your body mass index (BMI). Ask about your personal and family health history. Give you referrals for other care as needed. Assess your potential for depression. Provide a simple vision test. Recommend vaccines, tests, screenings and other preventive services you need to stay healthy . Off er to talk with you about creating advance directives. Annual Wellness Visit This visit includes some of the same elements as the Welcome to Medicare checkup. For example, your doctor will review your medical history, record your vital information and give you an opportunity to talk about advance directives. Your doctor may also provide the following services: Create a screening checklist for recommended preventive services for the upcoming year. Look at health risks and treatment options. Perform a cognitive assessment to look for signs of dementia. Provide personalized health advice. Review your current prescriptions. Study risk factors for opioid problems if you have a prescription for opioids, and screen for potential substance use disorders . Medicare Coverage The Welcome to Medicare and annual wellness visits are fully covered by Medicare Part B without any out-of-pocket costs. You don’t need the Welcome to Medicare visit to qualify for later annual wellness visits, but know that Medicare won’t pay for a wellness visit during the fi rst 12 months you have Part B. During these visits, the provider may order additional tests or procedures that may be subject to Medicare’s deductibles, copayments or coinsurance. Make sure that when you book your appointment, you specifi cally ask for the Welcome to Medicare checkup or annual wellness visit to ensure Medicare covers it. Otherwise, you may have to pay for the visit. If you’re enrolled in Medicare Advantage, you’ll probably need to use an in-network provider for the wellness visits to be covered. Some Medicare Advantage plans also cover annual physicals in addition to the wellness visit. Check your plan for details. Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070. THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of June 16-20. $1.3 BILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND EDUCATION (H 4227) House 150-3, then 148-4, Senate 40-0, approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey the conference committee version of a $1.3 billion fi scal 2025 supplemental budget that uses funds generated from the surtax imposed on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually, to fund $593 million for education-related projects and $716 million for transportation-related ones. The House and Senate had approved diff erent versions of the bill and the conference committee drafted this compromise version. The surtax was created by voters in November 2022 when they voted for a constitutional amendment, dubbed by supporters as the “Fair Share Amendment,” that allows a graduated income tax in Massachusetts and imposes an additional 4 percent income tax, in addition to the fl at 5 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually. Language in the constitutional amendment requires that “subject to appropriation, the revenue will go to fund quality public education, aff ordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation.” A total of $535 million of the $716 million for transportation will be used for various MBTA projects. Other provisions include $80 million for Chapter 90 aid to ensure every city and town receives funding to maintain local roads and bridges; $16.4 million for municipally owned small bridges and culverts; $7 million for the improvement and maintenance of unpaved roads; and $5 million for transportation improvements associated with the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The $593 million for education includes $248 million for special education; $115 million for public higher education infrastructure investments; $25 million for tutoring to support accelerated literacy growth and success for students in kindergarten through grade 3; $10 million for English Language Learning Programs; $10 million to support the Holocaust Museum in Boston; and $10 million for grants to eligible local school districts for clean energy infrastructure improvements and upgrades. “Ensuring that every Massachusetts resident has access to a safe and reliable public transportation system, and that every student in the commonwealth receives a high-quality education, are two of the most fundamental responsibilities that we have as elected officials,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “The investments being made in this supplemental budget are representative of the Legislature’s continued focus on meeting those responsibilities.” “In a time of national turbunior ior lence and damaging federal cuts, the conference committee has delivered a meaningful compromise that honors the will of Massachusetts voters and invests Fair Share funds equitably across Massachusetts,” said Sen. Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), Vice Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. “This supplemental budget reflects a Senate commitment to regional equity—providing meaningful support for K-12 schools grappling with strained budgets, addressing long-overdue maintenance on public higher education campuses and delivering much-needed transportation solutions for communities across the commonwealth.” “As a member of the joint conference committee, I’m proud to have played a signifi - cant role in the process that refl ects the values and priorities of communities, such as those on the South Shore that I represent,” said Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth), Ranking Minority member of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This legislation directs historic and groundbreaking Fair Share investments toward career and technical education, local infrastructure and regional transportation, which directly benefi ts our schools, our roads and our economy.” Reps. Ken Sweezey (R-Duxbury) and Alyson Sullivan Almeida (R-Abington) cast the only two votes against the budget. They issued a joint press release citing the conference committee’s decision to withhold $80 million in Chapter 90 road funding from municipalities deemed noncompliant with the MBTA Communities Act’s zoning mandates, as the reason they voted against BEACON | SEE PAGE 25
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