Why an Annual Physical Matters More Than You Think: Preventive Screenings Every Adult in Oakland County Should Get

Most of the conditions that shorten lives in Michigan, including heart disease, many cancers, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease, are silent for years. High blood pressure doesn't hurt. Prediabetes doesn't make you feel different. An early colon polyp has no symptoms. By the time you notice something, the problem is usually harder to treat.

That's the case for an annual physical. It isn't a formality. It's the visit where we look for problems while they're still small, and keep track of which screenings you're due for so nothing falls through the cracks.

What happens at an annual physical

A yearly preventive visit typically includes your vital signs and weight, a review of your personal and family history, a physical exam, a medication review, mental health screening, a vaccine check, and any lab work or screening tests you're due for based on your age and risk factors. It's also your best chance to bring up anything you've been putting off asking about.

The screening list below follows recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the independent panel whose guidance shapes what insurance plans cover. Your family history or health conditions may mean starting earlier or screening more often.

Screenings for all adults

• Blood pressure: at least yearly from age 40, or if you're at higher risk, and every 3 to 5 years for younger adults with normal readings.
• Depression: screening for all adults, plus anxiety screening for adults under 65.
• Hepatitis C: a one-time blood test for all adults ages 18 to 79.
• HIV: at least one test for everyone ages 15 to 65, and more often for people at higher risk.
• Tobacco, alcohol, and drug use: a confidential conversation, with real help available if you want to cut back or quit.

Your 20s and 30s

• Cervical cancer (ages 21 to 29): a Pap test every 3 years.
• Cervical cancer (ages 30 to 65): HPV testing every 5 years, or a Pap test every 3 years. Self-collected HPV testing is becoming an option for many women. Ask whether it's right for you.
• Diabetes and prediabetes: screening starts at 35 for adults with overweight or obesity, and earlier if you have risk factors like a family history or a history of gestational diabetes.
• Sexually transmitted infections: chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women 24 and younger, and for older adults at increased risk.

Your 40s

• Breast cancer: a mammogram every 2 years starting at age 40, continuing through 74.
• Colorectal cancer: begins at age 45. Options include a colonoscopy every 10 years or a stool-based test, either a yearly FIT or a stool DNA test (such as Cologuard) every 1 to 3 years. The best test is the one you'll actually complete.
• Cholesterol and heart risk: from age 40, we estimate your 10-year cardiovascular risk to decide whether a statin would help.

Your 50s and 60s

• Lung cancer: a yearly low-dose CT scan for adults 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history (for example, one pack a day for 20 years) who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years.
• Prostate cancer (ages 55 to 69): a PSA test is an individual decision. We'll go over the benefits and drawbacks so you can choose.
• Shingles and pneumonia vaccines: the two-dose shingles vaccine is recommended from age 50, and pneumococcal vaccination is now recommended from age 50 as well.

65 and older

• Osteoporosis: a bone density (DEXA) scan for women 65 and older, and earlier for postmenopausal women at higher risk.
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm: a one-time ultrasound for men 65 to 75 who have ever smoked.
• Falls and memory: a review of balance, medications that cause dizziness, hearing, and any memory concerns.
• Colorectal screening: routine screening continues to age 75. After that, it's an individual decision.

What it costs

Under the Affordable Care Act, most private insurance plans must cover recommended preventive services with no copay or deductible when you see an in-network provider, and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that requirement in 2025. Two things to know:

• If a screening finds something that needs follow-up, the next test may be billed as diagnostic and subject to your usual cost-sharing.
• Medicare covers an "Annual Wellness Visit" focused on prevention planning. It isn't the same as a head-to-toe physical, so ask us which one you're scheduling.

Making it happen

The hardest part of preventive care is getting on the calendar. Book your physical around something memorable, like your birthday or the start of the school year, and bring a list of your medications, past screening results, and any family history updates. If you're not sure what you're due for, that's fine. Tracking it is our job.

Patients across Oakland County, from Rochester Hills, Rochester, and Troy to Auburn Hills, Shelby Township, and Oakland Township, see us for annual physicals at our Rochester Hills office. Same-week appointments are often available. For more on fitting a physical into a busy schedule, read Annual Physicals: Make Time for You.