One of the most important steps in a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, or any preventive health screening, is the completion of a health risk assessment. These questionnaires give providers valuable information as they strive to make informed decisions about the potential health needs of individual patients. However, few patients are enthusiastic about completing these forms and may view them as a tedious chore instead of an essential step toward remaining healthy.

As the healthcare industry continues to look for ways to improve patient health while also controlling the ever-rising cost of quality healthcare, preventive screening has become an increasingly important topic.

While most healthcare professionals would agree that preventive medicine is becoming increasingly important, why are so many still missing out on the benefits provided through Medicare's Annual Wellness Visit (AWV)? While the AWV should be straight forward, there remains confusion surrounding the guidelines leading healthcare professionals to not fully realize the revenue and benefits of the AWV.