Medicare kicks in for most of us when we turn 65 and our introduction often begins with the “Welcome to Medicare” visit.

Assuming you have Medicare Part B and your doctor accepts Medicare, that first visit is completely free. Or, to put another way, it’s available with no out-of-pocket cost.

But did you know that there are many other Medicare benefits that are also available, in effect, for free?

For a rundown, the Local spoke with Dr. Nicole Davis, a primary care physician and immediate past president of medical staff at Temple Health – Chestnut Hill Hospital, who also sees patients at St. Joseph Villa, a senior living community in Flourtown.

Let’s back up and start with the “Welcome to Medicare” visit. It’s a one-time benefit offered during your first 12 months of Medicare coverage. If you haven’t had it and you’re new to Medicare, it’s probably not what you think. In other words, it’s not a physical exam. Instead, the visit includes a comprehensive questionnaire to establish a baseline for future visits, Dr. Davis explained.

“The Welcome Visit is really special,” she said, “because it includes a medical history, mood screenings, a little gait test that we do in the office, and a cognitive exam.” There will also be some key measurements, like body mass index calculation (a calculation based on height and weight, used to determine whether you might be overweight or obese). There will be recommendations for immunizations and a rudimentary vision test. It may include an electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG) if your doctor deems it appropriate.

You and your doctor will talk about whether you might need preventive screenings — for example, colorectal screenings (about which, more later). The questionnaire will also include questions about tobacco alcohol or drug use.

Finally, the visit includes one feature that newbie Medicare recipients ought to think about: advance directive planning.

“To me, that is the biggest thing,” Davis said. “Because I know my patients, I might know how they’re doing with the walking or their mood, but I may not know if they’d had a conversation with their loved ones about what they want done in emergency situations, and who’s in charge of making those decisions if they can’t.”

Depending on the outcome of that visit, the doctor might prescribe lab tests or other services, which may or may not be covered. (Ask your doctor about that.)

Once you’ve had your introductory visit, you should schedule Medicare annual wellness visits, which covers a lot of the same territory, and — just like the Welcome Visit — it’s free.

But there’s a lot more available to you under Medicare that requires no out-of-pocket costs. Here’s a sampling:

Colonoscopy. Colonoscopies are free, every 120 months — once every 48 months if you are at high risk for colon cancer. You could pay a fee amounting to 15 percent of the Medicare-approved cost if the doctor finds and removes a polyp or other tissue.

Generally, if you are up to date with your screenings and all your results have been normal, colonoscopy screening can stop at 75, Davis said, but if you choose to continue screening, Medicare will pay for it.

PSA Testing. It’s a blood test for men meant to determine whether a man is at risk for prostate cancer. You get one blood test, free. A digital rectal exam may also be covered, but there might be a copay.

Cholesterol Testing. You can get that every five years. Medicare Part B covers it. More frequent tests may be required “if your cholesterol is elevated,” Davis said. “If it’s elevated and the patient is on medications to regulate it, you might get it every six months or once a year. You’re trying to see how well the medication adjustment is doing.”

Mammograms. This annual breast imaging meant to detect early signs of breast cancer is covered, with a cutoff of age 75, Davis said. It’s an essential component of women’s health.

Cervical Cancer Screening. These screenings are also covered, once every 24 months — every 12 months if you are at high risk.

HPV Tests. Testing for Human Papillomavirus is available every five years, up to 65. HPV is strongly associated with cervical cancer.

Diabetes Screening. Medicare will cover an A1C or blood glucose test annually, Davis said, “You can get up to two in a year if you are pre-diabetic, have a family history, or if you had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant,” she added.

Bone Density Tests. If have osteoporosis (weak and brittle bones) or you’re at risk for that condition, you can get a bone density test every 24 months, or more often if the doctor deems it necessary. “It’s a really easy imaging test,” she said. “It’s called a DEXA scan. You get that every two years, but it’s individualized based on what your DEXA scan shows. If you’re in treatment for osteoporosis, it may be more or less often.”

Obesity Counseling. If you have a body mass index of 30 or higher, you can get free behavioral counseling, typically focused on diet and exercise to help you lose weight. “I see this problem every day,” Davis said. “It’s a lot.”

Lung Cancer Screening. If you have a history of at least 20 “pack years” (an average of one pack, 20 cigarettes, per day for 20 years), Medicare Part B covers this low-dose CT scan. You have to be a current smoker or have to have quit smoking within the last 15 years, and you have to be asymptomatic (no symptoms). This screening occurs up to age 80, Davis said. “That’s one of the best things Medicare has added to its preventive testing over the last 10 years,” she said. “You usually find lung cancer at a later stage. There’s not much you can do about that, but finding it early is the best thing you can do.”