Health|August 12, 2026|BodyBuddy Team

Annual Wellness Exam Checklist: What to Bring, Ask, and Record

Use this Medicare wellness visit checklist to prepare medications, providers, questions, and records—and leave with a written prevention plan you can follow.

An annual visit can cover a lot in a short time: medications, family history, preventive screenings, vaccines, changes in mood or memory, and the practical question of what happens next. A written checklist helps you arrive with the right information and leave with a plan you can actually follow.

One distinction matters: a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is not a routine annual physical. Medicare describes it as a conversation-based appointment for creating or updating a personalized prevention plan. Other plans and practices may use “annual physical,” “preventive exam,” “well visit,” or “checkup” differently.

This patient-first checklist works for either kind of preventive appointment. It does not determine which tests or treatments you need; those decisions depend on your history, risks, preferences, and clinician’s judgment.

If you are preparing for a symptom-focused visit instead, use this broader doctor appointment preparation checklist.

Quick version: Confirm the type of visit, bring a complete medication and provider list, choose your three most important questions, ask what preventive services apply to you, get permission before recording, and leave with written next steps.

Annual wellness visit checklist showing what to do before the visit, what to bring, and what to leave with

A practical before, during, and after checklist for a prevention-focused visit.

First: confirm what kind of appointment you booked

Check with the office before assuming “annual wellness exam” means a physical examination.

Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV): A health risk assessment and personalized prevention plan—not a routine physical. Confirm whether this is your first or a subsequent AWV, what forms to complete, and whether discussing new symptoms or adding services could create a separate charge.

Welcome to Medicare preventive visit: A one-time preventive checkup during the first 12 months of Part B. Medicare says this also is not a comprehensive physical. Confirm whether you are within the eligibility window and what the office wants you to bring.

Routine annual physical or preventive exam: The content varies by practice, clinician, age, insurance, and individual health needs. Confirm what the visit includes, whether fasting or labs are planned, and what your plan covers.

Problem-focused visit: An appointment centered on a symptom, condition, medication issue, or other specific concern. Ask whether it should be scheduled separately from a prevention-focused visit.

Medicare covers the yearly Wellness visit once every 12 months. Your first AWV cannot occur within 12 months of Part B enrollment or a Welcome to Medicare visit, although you do not need to have had the Welcome visit to qualify.

For Medicare patients, the distinction can affect cost. You pay nothing for the AWV itself if the provider accepts assignment; coinsurance, the Part B deductible, or the full cost may apply to additional services not included in the preventive benefit. Ask the office and your health plan about your situation rather than relying on the appointment label alone.

Do not wait for an annual visit with an urgent or rapidly worsening concern. Seek appropriate care.

Annual wellness exam checklist: what to do before the visit

1. Confirm the logistics

Confirm the date, time, location, and whether the appointment is in person or by telehealth.

Ask what type of visit is scheduled and what it includes.

Complete any health risk assessment or pre-visit questionnaire the office sends.

Ask whether you need to bring records, arrive early, fast, or complete labs beforehand. Do not fast unless the care team specifically tells you to.

Check coverage with the office and insurer if you are concerned about cost.

Request an interpreter or another communication accommodation in advance if needed.

Bring your insurance card and identification if the office requests them.

For a Medicare AWV, the health risk assessment can be completed before or during the visit. It may cover health status, psychosocial and behavioral risks, pain, fatigue, daily activities, medication management, and home safety.

2. Build one accurate medication list

Include everything you take:

Prescription medicines

Over-the-counter medicines

Vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements

The name, dose, how often you take it, and why you take it, if known

Allergies or previous medication reactions

Anything you stopped, skipped, or changed since the last visit

Side effects, affordability problems, or trouble following the schedule

If a reliable list is difficult, ask whether to bring the labeled containers. Do not stop a prescribed medicine solely because it appears outdated in a portal; ask the prescriber or pharmacist what to do.

3. List the people involved in your care

Write down the names and contact information of regular clinicians and services:

Primary care clinician

Specialists

Behavioral health clinicians

Physical or occupational therapist

Registered dietitian or diabetes educator

Pharmacy

Home health, medical equipment, or community services

CMS specifically includes a current provider and supplier list in the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit.

4. Gather the history the office may not have

New diagnoses, procedures, hospital stays, emergency visits, or urgent-care visits

New allergies or reactions

Immunization records, especially if vaccines were given at a pharmacy or another health system

Significant updates to family health history

New or worsening changes in sleep, energy, appetite, weight, mobility, balance, hearing, vision, mood, memory, or daily function

Home measurements or symptom logs if requested or relevant

Relevant records from outside clinicians that are missing from the current chart

Avoid bringing a giant folder with no priorities. Mark the pages or trends you most want the clinician to see.

5. Choose your top three questions

The National Institute on Aging recommends choosing the questions that matter most and raising them early. Write your top three:

First priority: Write your question here.

Second priority: Write your question here.

Third priority: Write your question here.

If you have a new symptom, say so when scheduling and at the beginning. The office may recommend a separate appointment so it gets enough time.

6. Decide how you will remember the conversation

Choose a method:

Take notes yourself.

Ask a trusted person to attend and take notes.

Ask for an interpreter or accessibility support.

Ask whether the clinician can provide printed or portal-based instructions.

If you want an audio recording, ask the clinician and everyone present for permission before you start.

A simple permission-first prompt is:

“I sometimes forget details after appointments. Would everyone here be comfortable if I record this conversation for my personal notes? It is completely okay to say no.”

If anyone declines, use written notes. The National Institute on Aging includes permission-based audio recording as one memory aid. This checklist does not interpret recording or privacy law; office policies and legal requirements vary.

What to ask during an annual wellness visit

Start with: “I know this is a preventive visit. My three priorities are…”

Questions about prevention

Which screening tests are appropriate for me now, and why?

Which vaccines should we review based on my age, health, prior doses, work, travel, or other risk factors?

Is anything in my family history changing your recommendations?

Which preventive services can happen today, and which need a separate appointment?

If I choose to wait on a screening or vaccine, when should we revisit it?

Could any recommended test or service create an additional cost?

Do not use a generic checklist as a prescription. Recommendations are risk-specific and change over time. USPSTF publishes preventive-service recommendations, CDC maintains adult immunization guidance, and MyHealthfinder offers a personalized starting list. Your clinician should apply current guidance to you.

Questions about medicines and supplements

What is each medicine for, and is the list in my chart accurate?

Does any new prescription replace or change something I already take?

Are there possible interactions with my over-the-counter medicines or supplements?

What side effects should prompt a call, an urgent visit, or emergency care?

If cost or the schedule makes this hard to follow, what alternatives should we discuss?

Who should I contact before changing or stopping it?

If an instruction is vague, ask for operational detail. “Take with food” may need timing; “increase activity” may need a starting point and restrictions. AHRQ recommends asking until you understand and speaking up if the plan may be difficult to follow.

What may happen during a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit

The exact visit depends on whether it is your first or a later AWV and on your history. Medicare and CMS say it can include:

A health risk assessment

Review of medical and family history

Review of prescriptions, supplements, and other substances

A current list of regular providers and suppliers

Routine measurements such as height, weight, body mass index, and blood pressure

Review of function, safety, mood, and possible cognitive impairment

Personalized health advice and appropriate referrals

A written schedule for screenings, vaccines, and other preventive services

Discussion of advance directives or advance care planning at your discretion

Review of opioid prescriptions and substance-use risks when applicable

An optional standardized physical activity and nutrition risk assessment

The word exam can therefore be misleading. A Medicare AWV centers on assessment, discussion, and prevention planning. It does not automatically include a routine physical, lab panel, or every preventive test.

Before you leave: turn the visit into clear next steps

Ask for enough detail to know what happens next.

Ask for the personalized prevention plan, visit summary, or written instructions.

Confirm any medication changes: what starts, stops, or changes; when; and why.

Write down each test, vaccine, referral, or follow-up appointment.

Ask who is responsible for scheduling each item.

Ask whether any preparation is required.

Ask how and when results will arrive.

Ask whom to contact if no result arrives in the expected window.

Ask what symptoms or changes should prompt earlier contact.

Repeat the plan back in your own words: “Just to make sure I understood…”

Check that portal access and contact information are current.

Useful closing questions include:

“What are the three most important things for me to do next?”

“What should I do first?”

“When should we review whether this is working?”

“What would make you change this plan?”

“Can you put those instructions in the visit summary?”

For a test, ask how to prepare, how results arrive, and what happens next. AHRQ recommends leaving with written information and knowing how follow-up will work.

After the visit: a 15-minute follow-through checklist

Set aside 15 minutes the same day, if possible:

Open the official instructions. Review the visit summary, prevention plan, or portal message.

Compare it with your notes. If they conflict, ask the care team to clarify. Do not guess.

Make one action list. Separate medication changes, appointments, tests, referrals, monitoring, and lifestyle instructions.

Add dates and owners. Note who will do each item and when.

Schedule the first steps. Book what you can and add reminders.

Track pending items. Record expected results or calls and when to follow up.

Contact the care team when needed. Call if instructions are unclear, symptoms worsen, or the plan is hard to follow. Ask the clinician or pharmacist before stopping prescribed medicine.

If you already use BodyBuddy, you can import the clinician’s written instructions or send them to BodyBuddy so your existing plan is organized into practical follow-through steps. BodyBuddy can proactively text about the plan you were given and help you notice what is getting done. It does not determine which screenings you need, interpret results, prescribe treatment, or replace the clinician’s care.

See the step-by-step guide to importing a doctor, PT, dietitian, or workout plan into BodyBuddy. If the practice gives you a portal summary, this after-visit summary checklist can help you check it before turning the instructions into daily actions.

Copy-and-paste annual wellness exam checklist

Use this compact version in a notes app or print it.

Before

Confirm: Medicare AWV, physical/preventive exam, or problem-focused visit?

Confirm coverage and possible costs for added services.

Complete pre-visit forms or health risk assessment.

Bring insurance/ID and requested records.

List prescriptions, OTC medicines, vitamins, herbs, supplements, doses, and frequency.

List allergies, reactions, side effects, cost barriers, and missed doses.

List regular clinicians, therapists, pharmacy, and other care services.

Update medical, surgical, family, vaccine, and recent-care history.

Note meaningful changes in symptoms, function, mood, memory, sleep, or safety.

Pick the top three questions.

Arrange an interpreter, support person, or note-taking method.

During

State the top three priorities early.

Ask which screenings and vaccines apply to you and why.

Reconcile the medication list.

Ask for clear steps, timing, and warning signs.

Ask about options and costs when relevant.

Get permission before any recording.

Repeat the plan back in your own words.

Before leaving

Get written instructions or the personalized prevention plan.

Confirm tests, referrals, appointments, and medication changes.

Confirm who schedules what and by when.

Confirm how results arrive and when to follow up.

Confirm what should prompt an earlier call or urgent help.

After

Compare your notes with the official instructions.

Clarify discrepancies with the care team.

Put every task on one dated action list.

Schedule the first steps.

Track pending results and referrals.

Ask for help if you cannot follow the plan as written.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit a physical exam?

No. Medicare says the yearly Wellness visit is a conversation-based visit to create or update a personalized prevention plan and is not a routine physical exam. It can include routine measurements and assessments, but a routine physical is a different service.

What should I bring to an annual wellness exam?

Bring a complete medication and supplement list, allergy information, regular provider list, relevant outside records and immunization history, updates to your personal and family history, and your top questions. Bring insurance and identification if requested. For a Medicare AWV, CMS specifically recommends medical and immunization records, detailed family history, a full medication and supplement list with doses and frequency, and a list of current providers and suppliers.

Should I fast before an annual wellness visit?

Only if the office specifically instructs you to. A Medicare AWV does not automatically require fasting or laboratory tests. If labs are planned, ask what preparation is required.

Can I record my annual wellness visit?

Ask the clinician and everyone present before recording, and respect a no. The National Institute on Aging suggests a permission-based audio recording as one possible memory aid. Office rules and legal requirements vary, so this article does not treat consent from one person as automatic authorization.

What screenings should happen at an annual visit?

There is no single list for every adult. Recommendations depend on age, sex, pregnancy status, history, prior results, and other risks. USPSTF, CDC, Medicare, and MyHealthfinder publish current guidance, but ask a qualified health professional which services apply to you.

What if I have several new symptoms?

Tell the office when scheduling and tell the clinician at the beginning of the appointment. Medicare specifically advises scheduling a separate appointment for specific health concerns so the yearly Wellness visit can remain focused on prevention. A separate visit may also affect cost, so ask the office and insurer what to expect.

The point of the checklist

The best checklist does not predict every test. It helps the care team get an accurate picture, surfaces your priorities, and turns personalized recommendations into next steps.

Bring the facts. Ask the important questions first. Get the plan in writing. Then turn it into a small number of dated actions you can carry into daily life.

Product note: This article is published by the creators of BodyBuddy. BodyBuddy is a consumer accountability service, not a health care provider or substitute for medical care. It helps people organize and follow professional instructions; it does not diagnose conditions, select preventive services, or prescribe treatment.