Short answer up top, then the exact rule. Here's what Original Medicare does and doesn't cover for an annual physical in 2026 — and where a Medicare Advantage plan can fill the gap.
Quick answer: Medicare doesn't cover a routine annual physical exam. What it does cover is a yearly “Wellness” visit — once every 12 months, and you pay nothing if your provider accepts assignment (the Part B deductible doesn't apply). It's a prevention-planning conversation, not a head-to-toe physical.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans must cover the yearly “Wellness” visit at $0 with an in-network provider, since plans can't charge cost-sharing for preventive services Original Medicare covers free. Some plans also add a routine physical as an extra benefit — one of the few ways to get the annual physical itself covered.
Anyone who books “my Medicare physical” each year and is surprised by a bill. The fix is knowing the difference: ask for the yearly “Wellness” visit to keep it free, and book a separate appointment for specific health complaints so they don't turn your free visit into a billed one.
See the current Part A, Part B, and Part D numbers — premiums, deductibles, and the new drug cap — in one place. Free, no signup.
See 2026 Medicare Costs →No. Medicare doesn't cover a routine head-to-toe physical. It covers a yearly “Wellness” visit — a prevention-planning conversation — once every 12 months at no cost when your provider accepts assignment. Some Medicare Advantage plans add a routine physical as an extra benefit.
A “Wellness” visit builds or updates your prevention plan: a health risk assessment, routine measurements, a medication and history review, a cognitive assessment, and a written screening checklist. A physical is a hands-on exam of your body. Medicare covers the first and not the second — and if a physical or extra tests get added to the same visit, you can owe coinsurance, the deductible, or the full cost.
Coverage gaps in Original Medicare — like an annual physical — are exactly what a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan is meant to fill. Our free Enrollment Finder shows the window you can switch in, and the guide library walks through the trade-offs. This page is free to share with anyone weighing their options.
Open the Enrollment Finder →This answer is based on U.S. government Medicare coverage rules: