Secret #4 The “Free Annual Physicals” are not meant to address 12 problems either.
From 11 Secrets of the Healthcare System Exposed
“Annual physicals,” “yearly checkups,” “wellness exams,” whatever you want to call it, are meant to be time designated to talk about prevention and to catch you up with preventative screenings. You didn’t hear this from me, but for adults, those general physical exams that you expect during the annual checkup, when you’re feeling overall fine, are pretty much useless. But hey, whatever makes you feel good. Did you know, the Medicare annual wellness visit does NOT even include a physical exam? Don’t get mad at the docs, they didn’t design this.
Otherwise, if you want your doctor to examine your rash or your back pain during any “free” wellness visit, it becomes a billable appointment*. And it takes time away from discussing why you keep putting off that colon cancer screening. Because the system has somehow conditioned people to believe that annual physicals are meant for addressing head-to-toe problems, in addition to looking for problems, most come armed with a list of head-to-toe problems. What time for prevention?
In the insurance-based model, I think the title of “Annual Physical” needs to be changed to something like:
“I’m Feeling Fine, Just Talk To Me About Prevention, Visit.”
Or... “Preventative Screening Visit; Don’t Bring Up Other Shit.”
But that’s not going to fly, so maybe they should just cancel it entirely. Your health and prevention should not be a one-day event per year.
Really though, a thoughtful discussion about optimizing wellness to reverse, delay, or prevent the onset of disease, as it pertains to your lifestyle and personal risk, should be a topic at every visit, but the American healthcare system is short-sighted. Usually, these things get outsourced to some hotline or program that your doctor has no communication with, but they did their part by referring you, because that’s all they have time for. At best you might get some generic weight loss class or diabetic nutrition class with outdated information. There’s a reason why chronically sick Americans remain chronically sick**.
Big medicine is not really investing into the potential cost savings from lifestyle, nutritional, and mental health-based chronic disease prevention 5+ years down the road (they only pretend to in advertisements). They’re just focused on next quarter’s numbers and meeting metrics to increase reimbursement (more on that later).