How to Prepare for Your Welcome to Medicare Visit

This visit is not the same as a routine physical exam. Preparing ahead of time can help you understand what the visit includes, what to bring, what questions to ask and whether additional tests, labs or services may be billed separately.

Key takeaways:

• The “Welcome to Medicare” visit is a one-time preventive visit available during the first 12 months you have Medicare Part B.¹

• The official CMS name for this visit is the Initial Preventive Physical Exam, or IPPE.²

• The visit may include a review of your medical and social history, basic measurements, a simple vision test, depression risk review, preventive service recommendations and a written prevention plan.¹

• It is not a comprehensive physical exam, even though the official name includes “physical exam.”¹

• Labs are not automatically included in the “Welcome to Medicare” visit. Your doctor may order labs or other tests separately based on your health history or concerns.³

• You pay nothing for the visit if your doctor or other health care provider accepts assignment, but you may owe costs if additional tests or services are performed during the same visit.¹

• The visit is optional, but it can be a useful way to set a health reference when you first begin Medicare.

What is a Welcome to Medicare visit?

A “Welcome to Medicare” visit, also called the Initial Preventive Physical Exam (IPPE),² is a one-time preventive visit for people who are new to Medicare Part B. While the official name includes “physical exam,” it is not a full head-to-toe physical. Mutual of Omaha chief medical officer Dr. Manoj Pawar, MD, FAAFP, explains that it is “more like an onboarding visit. It helps establish a baseline when someone first starts Medicare.”

How to prepare for your Welcome to Medicare visit

Preparing for your Welcome to Medicare visit does not mean gathering every health record you have. The goal is to bring the information your doctor or other health care provider needs to understand your current health, review your risk factors and talk through preventive care steps.

That preparation can be as simple as writing down your medications, recent health changes and questions before the appointment, which may be located in your personal health file. In the 2026 Mutual of Omaha Aging Well Survey, 45% of respondents age 65+ said they often or always take time to prepare for a doctor visit in advance, while 29% said they rarely or never do.* Even jotting down a short list can make the visit easier to follow and help you remember what you want to discuss.

What to bring to your Welcome to Medicare visit

Medicare guidance recommends bringing medical records, including immunization records, family health history and a list of prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements you currently take.¹ You may also want to bring details about your current doctors, recent health changes and questions you want to ask.

Many older adults already bring some of this information to appointments. 51% of respondents age 65+ said they usually bring questions to ask, and 48% said they bring a medication list.*

Medication lists deserve extra attention, especially if you see more than one doctor or fill prescriptions in more than one place. Dr. Pawar notes, “A lot of medical errors happen because the records do not match what someone is actually taking at home.”

If it is easier, bring your medication bottles with you or take photos of the labels. Do not discontinue or change medications without talking with your doctor.

Consider creating a personal health file

A personal health file can make the Welcome to Medicare visit easier because it keeps important information in one place. It can be digital, printed and filed away in a folder or a mix of both. 55% of adults aged 65+ keep a personal health record or file where they track important health information such as medications, doctors or test results.*

A personal health file may include:

• Medication list

• Doctors and specialists

• Pharmacy information

• Health conditions

• Surgical history

• Allergies

• Family health history

• Vaccine records

• Recent test results

• Emergency contacts

• Advance directives, if you have them

Mutual of Omaha director of health services and registered nurse Kellee Grimes says the purpose is to make your information easier to share when it matters: “Bring a complete medication list, the names of your providers, your insurance card and anything important from your personal health file.”

Questions to ask before your appointment

Before your appointment, call the doctor’s office or check the patient portal. Ask:

• Do I need to complete any forms before the visit?

• Should I bring medical records or immunization records?

• Should I bring medication bottles or a medication list?

• Do I need to bring insurance cards or identification?

• Will labs or blood work be done?

• Do I need to fast?

• Can I discuss a new symptom during this visit, or should I schedule a separate appointment?

• Will any part of the visit be billed separately?

• Will I receive a written prevention plan?

Asking ahead can help avoid confusion on the day of the appointment. It can also help you understand whether you are scheduling the one-time “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit, a yearly wellness visit or another type of appointment.

What not to do before a Welcome to Medicare visit

Before your appointment, try to avoid these common mistakes:

• Do not assume it is a full physical exam.

• Do not assume labs or blood work are automatically included.

• Do not fast unless your doctor’s office tells you to.

• Do not stop taking medication unless your doctor tells you to.

• Do not leave out over-the-counter medications, supplements or vitamins.

• Do not arrive without your medication list or health history.

• Do not wait until the end of the visit to ask how you will receive your written prevention plan.

• Do not assume every concern can be addressed during the preventive visit.

If you have new pain, a medication side effect or a symptom that worries you, ask whether you need a separate appointment. That can help make sure there is enough time to discuss the concern fully.

What happens at a Welcome to Medicare visit?

During a “Welcome to Medicare” visit, your doctor or other health care provider reviews your health history, checks certain basic health measures and gives you a written plan for preventive services.¹

The visit is meant to look ahead, not just review what is already in your chart. It can also be a good time to talk about preventive services that may fit your age, health history and risk factors. Pawar says, “Preventive care is about catching things early, before they become harder to manage.”

Questions to ask during your Welcome to Medicare visit

Bring a short list of questions so you can focus the conversation. If you have several concerns, choose the ones that matter most to you right now.

Pawar recommends narrowing the list when time is limited: “If you have a long list of concerns, prioritize the one or two things that matter most so your doctor can focus on what is most important to you.”

Consider asking:

• What screenings should I ask about this year?

• Am I due for any vaccines?

• Do any of my medications increase my risk of dizziness, falls, fatigue or confusion?

• Should I be concerned about any changes in memory, mood, sleep, balance or energy?

• What should I do if I have a new symptom after this visit?

• Do I need any follow-up appointments?

• Should I see a specialist?

• Are there preventive services I should schedule separately?

• Are there daily habits that may support my heart, bone, brain or digestive health?

• Will any recommended tests or services be billed separately?

• How will I receive my written prevention plan?

Your answers are most useful when they reflect what has changed in your daily life.

How to make the most of your first Medicare preventive visit

Your “Welcome to Medicare” visit can be a helpful first step in organizing your health information and planning for the year ahead.

After the visit:

• Review your written prevention plan.

• Schedule recommended follow-up appointments.

• Add screening and vaccine reminders to your calendar.

• Update your medication list.

• Save your doctor’s recommendations in your personal health file.

• Share updates with specialists, if needed.

• Ask how you will receive test results, referrals or next steps.

If you can’t cover everything in your Welcome to Medicare Visit, don’t worry. Pawar says, “A doctor visit does not have to answer everything in one appointment. It can be the start of a game plan.”

If the visit brings up a topic you want to understand better, ask your provider what to do next. That may include a follow-up appointment, a screening, a specialist referral or a separate conversation about a specific concern.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What happens at a Welcome to Medicare visit?

During a “Welcome to Medicare” visit, your provider may review your medical and social history, family health history, medications, risk factors, basic measurements, vision, depression risk and preventive service needs. You should also receive a written plan or checklist for recommended screenings, vaccines and other preventive services.¹

Do I have to do the Welcome to Medicare visit?

No. The “Welcome to Medicare” visit is optional. If you do not complete it, you do not lose Medicare coverage. However, it is only available during your first 12 months of Medicare Part B.¹

What happens if you don’t do your Medicare wellness visit?

If you skip a Medicare preventive visit, you do not lose Medicare coverage. However, you may miss an opportunity to review your prevention plan, medications, risk factors, screenings and vaccines with your provider. The “Welcome to Medicare” visit is only available during your first 12 months of Part B.¹

Who can get a Welcome to Medicare visit?

You can get a “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit one time during the first 12 months you have Medicare Part B. If you have had Part B for more than 12 months, you are no longer eligible for this visit, but you may be eligible for a yearly Medicare wellness visit instead.¹

Is the Welcome to Medicare visit the same as a physical?

No. The “Welcome to Medicare” visit is not a comprehensive physical exam. It may include basic measurements and a simple vision test, but the main focus is health history, preventive care and a written prevention plan.¹

What is the difference between the Welcome to Medicare visit and the Medicare annual wellness visit?

The “Welcome to Medicare” visit is a one-time visit available during your first 12 months of Medicare Part B. The annual wellness visit is available once every 12 months after you have had Part B for more than 12 months.¹ Both are preventive visits, but they happen at different points in your Medicare timeline.

Do I need to fast before a Welcome to Medicare visit?

Usually, you do not need to fast for the visit itself because labs are not automatically included. If your doctor orders blood work or other lab tests, ask whether fasting is required and whether you should take medications as usual.

How do I schedule a Welcome to Medicare visit?

Call your doctor’s office and say you want to schedule your “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit. Ask what to bring, whether you need to complete forms ahead of time and whether any additional tests or services may be billed separately.

How do I choose a doctor for my Welcome to Medicare visit?

Choose a doctor or other health care provider you trust and who can help coordinate your preventive care. Before scheduling, ask whether the office accepts Medicare assignment and performs the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit, especially if you are seeing a new provider.

Sources:

*2026 Mutual of Omaha Aging Well Survey. Mutual of Omaha utilized research vendor quantilope to conduct a 5-minute online survey of 400 respondents age 50+ with an annual household income of $50,000 or more. Research was conducted June 17-21, 2026. All study data cited in this article is based on Mutual of Omaha proprietary research unless otherwise noted.

1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Your Guide to Medicare Preventive Services, May 2026, accessed June 2026.

2. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Initial Preventive Physical Exam, April 8, 2026, accessed June 2026.

3. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare & You 2026, 2026 edition, accessed June 2026.