The goal of an AWV is to look at your overall health risks, preventive care needs, safety concerns, function, memory concerns, mood, home support, medications, and screening needs. It helps your provider build a plan to support wellness and prevent illness or disability where possible.
An AWV may include a health risk assessment, review of medical and family history, medication and supplement review, list of current providers, routine measurements such as weight and blood pressure, cognitive screening, depression or emotional health screening, fall-risk review, safety review, and preventive screening recommendations.
When Telehealth May Help
Telehealth can work well for many AWV components because much of the visit is based on questions, history, prevention planning, medication review, and shared decision-making. CMS states that Medicare pays for the Annual Wellness Visit codes G0438 and G0439 when provided via telehealth.
During a telehealth AWV, you may be asked about your health goals, daily activities, falls, home safety, mood, memory, tobacco or alcohol use, nutrition, physical activity, pain, fatigue, loneliness, medications, allergies, specialists, and preventive screenings that may be due.
What an AWV Is Not
An AWV is not a full physical exam. It also does not automatically include lab tests, imaging, medication changes, treatment of new symptoms, or management of a separate medical problem. If you have a new concern such as chest pain, infection symptoms, uncontrolled blood pressure, pain, shortness of breath, or medication side effects, that may require a separate medical visit.
This difference can be confusing. A wellness visit focuses on prevention planning. A problem visit focuses on diagnosing or treating a specific medical concern. Sometimes both are needed, but billing, coverage, and patient responsibility may be different.
How to Prepare for a Telehealth AWV
Before the visit, gather your medication bottles, supplements, allergy list, names of specialists, recent blood pressure readings if available, weight, vaccine history, screening history, surgery history, family history, and any questions about preventive care.
It may also help to think about falls, memory changes, mood, sleep, pain, activity level, nutrition, transportation, home safety, and support at home. These details help make the prevention plan more personal and useful.
When In-Person Care Is Needed
Telehealth has limits. If you need a hands-on exam, lab draw, EKG, imaging, lung or heart exam, abdominal exam, pelvic exam, wound check, or urgent testing, an in-person visit may be needed.
Seek urgent or emergency care right away for chest pain, severe shortness of breath, stroke symptoms, fainting, severe weakness, severe abdominal pain, severe allergic reaction, suicidal thoughts, confusion, uncontrolled bleeding, or any life-threatening symptom.
How TeleDNPnow Can Support You
At TeleDNPnow, we can help patients residing in Arizona review preventive care needs, health risks, medications, home monitoring, screenings, lifestyle goals, and next steps through telehealth when appropriate. If a concern needs in-person care, testing, imaging, or specialist evaluation, we can help guide the next step.
Preventive care matters. An AWV can be a helpful yearly check-in to pause, review your health, and build a plan that supports safer, healthier aging.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or insurance guidance. Medicare coverage and billing rules can change. Always confirm benefits, eligibility, and costs with Medicare, your health plan, and your provider. If you have active symptoms or an urgent concern, do not wait for a wellness visit.