The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) was originally designed to promote preventive care and long-term health planning. But when fully leveraged, it also becomes a powerful tool for risk adjustment. As one of the few routine encounters where providers can take a step back and assess the patient’s overall health status, the AWV presents a unique opportunity to capture chronic conditions that contribute to the patient’s risk score.
But here’s the catch: In many organizations, AWVs are scheduled for only slightly more time than a typical acute visit. That limited time often forces providers to focus solely on required screenings and checklist items, leaving little room for meaningful review of chronic conditions.
And that’s a missed opportunity.
While CMS rules prohibit adding new diagnoses solely to increase risk scores, revalidating existing chronic conditions is not only allowed; it’s essential. The AWV specifically calls for documenting chronic conditions where treatment is ongoing or recommended. When providers assess a condition’s status, adjust care plans, or encourage follow-through with treatment, those diagnoses become actionable and valid for risk adjustment purposes.
The AWV creates a natural opening for this work. Reviewing the medical history, updating the problem list, and discussing chronic conditions (many of which may not come up during acute visits) improves both documentation and care planning. Even a brief note that a condition is “stable on current medications” or “being monitored by specialty care” helps to support risk-adjusted payment and captures the true complexity of the patient’s health.
If your team is treating the AWV like just another quick visit, it may be costing your organization both revenue and a fuller picture of patient needs. With thoughtful planning, the AWV becomes more than a compliance task. It becomes a strategic opportunity to deliver better care and ensure accurate reporting.
Want practical strategies to make the most of the AWV without overloading the schedule?
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