SHELTON, WA – Turning or already 65? Mason Health has you covered! Let our team of caring professionals help you wade through your new Medicare coverage with our brand-new Medicare Wellness Program. Launched at the start of 2022, the Medicare Wellness Program focuses on keeping you healthy, with proactive, preventive measures. Our Annual Wellness Team is reaching out to existing patients who are signed up for Medicare Part B coverage to schedule their first free Medicare Wellness visit.

Through the new Medicare Wellness Program, a registered nurse will reach out and guide patients through what to expect from their first Medicare Wellness Visit and subsequent, annual wellness visits. The first Medicare Wellness Visit is an introductory visit intended to give you and your care team time to talk about how you are doing, identify health risks, find ways you can avoid illness and help you to stay feeling healthy, active and at your best. A pharmacist will also review your medications and may reach out to discuss your care.

If you are 65, or are approaching your 65th birthday, expect a letter or postcard in the mail from a member of Mason Health’s care team to schedule your initial Medicare Wellness Visit. To help you prepare for our visit, Mason Health will also include a packet to fill out with your family health history and health risk assessment. This first visit is not a head-to-toe physical exam to treat current health concerns.

The health care provider will be able to make referrals to help you navigate the health care system, including help with scheduling mammograms, colonoscopies or immunizations.

If you have not yet received a letter or postcard, and you are 65 and older and have already signed up for Medicare Part B coverage, ask your provider at your next visit about Mason Health’s Medicare Wellness Program.

Most people are eligible for Medicare once they turn 65 and have been a legal resident for at least five years. The U.S. government will automatically enroll you in Medicare Part A coverage at no cost if you are already collecting Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits. You will also receive a notification that you are eligible for Part B coverage, which is optional and includes a premium, however Part B coverage qualifies patients for this free Medicare Wellness visit and enrollment in Mason Health’s free Annual Wellness Program. People can also become eligible for Medicare due to a disability, such as end-stage renal disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Part A helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital and other health care and hospice care needs following a hospital stay, while Part B helps pay for services from health care providers, including most preventive services. While Part A coverage is automatic, patients need to sign up for Part B coverage. Part B coverage waives copays and deductibles.

Some Americans qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. The federal government oversees Medicare, while state governments oversee Medicaid eligibility based on income. In Washington state, Medicaid is known as Apple Health. Learn more about Apple Health eligibility at www.hca.wa.gov/health-care-services-supports/applehealth-medicaid-coverage/individual-adults.

In additional to annual wellness visits, Medicare covers a wide array of screenings, including screenings for alcohol misuse, diabetes, depression, mammograms, obesity and more. For a complete list, visit our website at https://www.masongeneral.com/services/medicare-wellness.

If you have questions about the Medicare Wellness Program, speak with your health care provider or visit https://www.masongeneral.com/services/medicare-wellness. If you’ve received a postcard in the mail, you can schedule your Annual Wellness Visit by calling 360-426-2653.

WATCH: Jennifer Anderson, Director of Care Coordination, introduces the Medicare Wellness Program to iFiberOne News Radio audiences: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0EDYqUkekw

Mason Health, Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County, is certified by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and is a licensed and accredited acute care hospital with a level four emergency trauma designation. There are more than 100 physicians on staff in 19 specialties. For more information or to find a health care provider, visit www.MasonGeneral.com.

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