Fulton County residents age 65 and over can now get thorough annual wellness checks for free, if they have Medicare Part B coverage.
The county and Grady Health System announced a partnership Thursday to offer those checks at all county senior centers, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at one: the H.J.C. Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility in East Point.
“How many of you have had your Medicare annual wellness visit?” Pamela Roshell asked the audience of senior center clients. A few hands went up in the crowd of about 40.
Roshell, the county’s chief operating officer, said that response matched national research. Free wellness checks through Medicare have been available for a decade, but only one eligible person in four uses that benefit, she said. People cite a lack of transportation, lack of time, or unawareness of the program to explain why they don’t use it, Roshell said.
That’s why Fulton commissioners partnered with Grady to “bring this service right here to you,” she said: at county senior centers, which are already in heavy use, are convenient and familiar environments.
Although this is the kickoff week, the service will be permanent, Roshell said. Wellness visits are available at all seven of the county’s senior centers: the four large multipurpose centers and three smaller neighborhood centers.
Wellness checks will be available during the center’s regular hours; based on future use, the county will consider adding some weekend access, she said.
“The lack of access to health care is a major concern in Fulton County. We all know that,” said Khadijah Abdur-Rahman, commissioner for District 6 and vice chair of the county commission.
“Thank you Grady, thank you Grady, thank you Grady. And by the way, did I thank Grady?” she said.
“Thank you Fulton County, thank you Fulton County, thank you Fulton County,” replied the next speaker, Kelley Carroll, chief of ambulatory medicine for Grady Health System.
Credit: Jim Gaines
Credit: Jim Gaines
The wellness checks are an important service, offered as part of Medicare benefits, she said. It allows creation of a health plan tailored to the individual’s needs.
Wellness visits are not the same as annual physicals, but are for a “personalized prevention plan,” Carroll said. At wellness visits, Grady personnel ask questions about conditions at home, about falls and mental health, do basic vision and hearing tests, and offer education on health issues, she said.
Perhaps the most important part is a conversation about the person’s wishes in a medical crisis, when they may not be able to speak for themselves, Carroll said. Those intentions need to be stated while a person is healthy, but such conversations are often hard to have with family, she said. The wellness checks allow trained professionals to document a person’s specific medical wishes.
The visits end with helping patients plan for any other health services they’ll need in the next year, such as cancer screenings and vaccinations, Carroll said.
Roshell said Grady and the county hope to serve at least 600 people during the weeklong kickoff event, and increase that as word spreads about the program.
Based on the number of Medicare recipients, the county estimates there are roughly 118,000 Fulton residents eligible for the free wellness checks, she said.
Fulton is the only county offering this service — at least in Georgia, and perhaps nationwide, Roshell said. The county sought bids for medical partners to offer wellness checks in senior centers, and got several bidders but chose Grady, she said.
How to get a free annual wellness check
Who’s eligible?
Fulton County residents age 65 and over, who are Medicare Part B recipients.
Where can you get one?
All seven Fulton County senior centers during normal weekday business hours.
How do you sign up?
Advance registration is recommended. Appointments can be made at www.fultoncountyga.gov/SeniorMedicareWellnessDays, by calling the county senior services STARline at 404-613-6000, or calling Grady at 404-999-3191.
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