What to Expect at Your Annual Physical Exam in McAllen, TX
High blood pressure does not hurt. Early diabetes does not hurt. Kidney disease, high cholesterol, thyroid trouble, and most early cancers do not hurt either, which is why people walk around with them for years.
An annual physical exam in McAllen, TX is the one appointment built to find those things while they are still easy to treat. Nothing about it is dramatic. It is a conversation, a hands-on exam, a blood draw, and a plan.
This article covers what happens in the room, what to bring, whether you have to fast, and what the bill looks like with insurance. To book now, call (956) 668-0974. We see patients Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 9 to 1.
A Physical, a Medicare Wellness Visit, and a "Check-Up" Are Not the Same Thing
People use these three terms as if they were one appointment. They are not, and the difference shows up on your bill.
| Annual physical exam | Medicare Annual Wellness Visit | "Check-up" or follow-up visit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A head-to-toe preventive exam with labs | A Medicare benefit focused on risk review and a written prevention plan | A visit about a condition you already have |
| Hands-on exam | Yes, full | Limited to height, weight, and blood pressure | Focused on the problem |
| Blood work | Usually ordered at the visit | Not part of the visit, ordered separately | As needed for that condition |
| Typical cost | Often no cost-sharing on commercial plans when in network, per HealthCare.gov | No copay and no deductible under Part B, per Medicare.gov | Normal copay or coinsurance |
The short version for Medicare patients: Original Medicare does not pay for a routine annual physical, but it does pay for the wellness visit, and the two cover different ground. We explain that benefit in our guide to the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, and if your Part B started within the last 12 months, the Welcome to Medicare visit is the one to book first.
Everyone else, keep reading.
What Happens in the Room, Step by Step
A physical is predictable, which is the point. Here is the usual order.
Check-in and vitals. A medical assistant takes your height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, oxygen level, and often your waist. A high first blood pressure reading gets repeated, because one number in a cold room is not a diagnosis.
History review. Medications, past surgeries, hospital stays, allergies, vaccines, and family history. A father with a heart attack at 52 or a sister with breast cancer at 44 changes which screenings you need and when.
The conversation. Sleep, energy, mood, stress, alcohol, tobacco and vaping, exercise, and diet. Depression and anxiety questionnaires are part of a standard adult physical. Answer them honestly. That questionnaire is often the first step toward fixing something you have carried for years.
The hands-on exam. Eyes, ears, mouth and throat, neck and thyroid, lymph nodes, heart sounds and rhythm, lungs, abdomen, pulses in the legs, ankle swelling, skin, and a basic neurological check of reflexes, strength, and sensation. Anyone with diabetes also gets a foot exam.
The plan. Which labs you need today, which screenings are due, which vaccines are behind, and when to come back.
Budget 30 to 45 minutes for a complete annual physical exam, longer if you are a new patient or manage several conditions.
The Labs and Tests Done at a Physical
Blood work is where a silent problem shows itself first. Which tests you get depends on your age, your risk factors, and what you already have. A typical adult panel includes:
- Complete blood count (CBC) for anemia and signs of infection
- Comprehensive metabolic panel for kidney and liver function, electrolytes, and blood sugar
- Lipid panel for cholesterol and triglycerides
- A1C or fasting glucose for diabetes and prediabetes
- Thyroid test (TSH) when symptoms or history point that way
- Urinalysis for kidney protein, sugar, and infection
- Hepatitis C, recommended once for all adults ages 18 to 79 by the USPSTF in 2020
Diabetes screening deserves a mention here. The USPSTF recommends screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in adults ages 35 to 70 who are overweight or have obesity, in its 2021 recommendation. In Hidalgo County that describes a large share of adults, and prediabetes is reversible in a way that diabetes is not.
We draw blood in our own office with an in-house phlebotomist, so you are not sent across town with a paper order that sits in a glove box for three weeks. Some rapid tests come back the same visit. Standard panels take a few days.
Two other tests come up often. An EKG takes about five minutes and gets done for chest discomfort, palpitations, shortness of breath, a murmur, or long-standing high blood pressure. Pulmonary function testing measures how well your lungs move air and is used for chronic cough, wheezing, or a smoking history. Both are done here rather than referred out.
How to Prepare and What to Bring
Do you have to fast? Ask when you book, because fasting matters for some tests and not others. If a lipid panel or fasting glucose is planned, allow 8 to 12 hours with nothing but water and black coffee, and take a morning appointment. Keep taking your prescriptions unless we tell you otherwise. Anyone on insulin or a sulfonylurea should call first, because fasting changes the math on those medications.
Bring these six things:
- Your insurance card and a photo ID
- Every medication, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, and inhalers. The bottles beat a list from memory
- Records from your previous doctor if you are new, especially recent labs, imaging, and your vaccine record
- Names of any specialists you see
- Home readings if you track blood pressure or blood sugar
- Your questions, written down, worst one first
That last item is the one people skip and regret. The concern you remember in the parking lot does not get addressed. Write down your top three before you leave home.
What to wear. Loose clothing and short sleeves. You will step on a scale, wear a cuff on your upper arm, and have blood drawn from your elbow.
Scheduling around work. Our Saturday hours run from 9 to 1, which is how a lot of Valley patients who cannot miss a weekday finally get this done. Call (956) 668-0974 and ask for a Saturday slot early, because those fill first in January.
Annual Exams for Women
"Annual exam" means different things to different patients, so it helps to be clear about what happens at a primary care physical and what gets ordered or referred.
At the visit we cover your general exam, blood work, blood pressure, weight, thyroid, mood, menstrual or menopausal symptoms, bone health, and contraception or pregnancy planning. We also track which cancer screenings are due and place the orders.
Current screening intervals:
- Breast cancer. The USPSTF recommends mammography every two years for women ages 40 to 74, in its April 2024 recommendation. The American Cancer Society guideline differs slightly: the option to start yearly at 40 to 44, yearly from 45 to 54, then every one to two years from 55. Mammograms are done at an imaging center, and we place the referral and follow the result.
- Cervical cancer. The USPSTF 2018 recommendation is cytology every three years for ages 21 to 29, and for ages 30 to 65 either cytology every three years, high-risk HPV testing every five years, or both together every five years. That recommendation is being updated, so confirm your interval with us rather than working from an old memory of "every year."
- Bone density. The USPSTF recommends screening for osteoporosis in women 65 and older, and in younger postmenopausal women at increased risk, in its January 2025 recommendation.
Pap smears and pelvic exams are not something we can promise on a blog page, so call to confirm what we perform in office and what we refer. Either way you leave with the orders and the dates, and our health screenings checklist lays out the rest of the calendar by age.
Annual Exams for Men
Men tend to come in later than women do, usually because something finally hurt. A physical covers the things that never do.
Prostate. The USPSTF 2018 recommendation treats PSA screening for men ages 55 to 69 as an individual decision made after a conversation about benefits and harms, and does not recommend routine PSA screening at 70 and older. Family history and race factor into that conversation. It is a discussion, not an automatic blood test.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm. The USPSTF recommends a one-time ultrasound for men ages 65 to 75 who have ever smoked, in its 2019 recommendation. One ultrasound, once, for a condition that stays silent until it is an emergency.
Colon cancer. Screening starts at 45 for everyone, per the USPSTF recommendation of May 2021. Colonoscopy is not the only option, and the stool-based tests are a reasonable starting point for many people.
Testosterone, honestly. Low energy, weight gain, and poor sleep send a lot of men looking for a testosterone prescription. The same symptoms come from sleep apnea, thyroid disease, anemia, depression, uncontrolled diabetes, and alcohol. Testing is done in the morning and read alongside the rest of your labs, not sold as a package.
What Your Physical Costs With Insurance
Under the Affordable Care Act, most commercial plans cover recommended preventive services with no copay, no coinsurance, and no deductible when you see an in-network provider, according to HealthCare.gov. For many patients that means the preventive portion of an annual physical and the recommended screenings cost nothing out of pocket.
Two things change that, and both are worth knowing before you arrive.
A problem discussed at the same visit can be billed separately. If the visit starts as prevention and turns into "and also my knee has hurt for three months," that part is treatment, not prevention, and it can generate its own charge. We say that out loud at the visit rather than letting you find it on a statement. If you would rather handle a new complaint at a separate appointment, tell us and we will book it that way.
Some labs fall outside the preventive list. A screening test and a test ordered to investigate a symptom are usually covered differently.
For Medicare patients, Original Medicare does not cover a routine annual physical. It covers the wellness visit instead, which follows different rules.
We accept Medicare and most major insurance plans. Call (956) 668-0974 with your card in hand and our front desk will verify your plan before you come in.
What Happens After the Visit
Most lab results are back within a few days, by phone or through the patient portal. Abnormal results get a call, not a portal message you might miss.
From there, one of four things happens. Everything is normal and you get a date for next year. Something is borderline, such as an A1C of 5.9, and you get a plan and a repeat test in three to six months. Something needs treatment and we start it here. Or something needs a specialist and we refer.
Healthy adults repeat a physical every year. Anyone managing diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, or kidney disease is usually seen every three to six months, with the annual physical still serving as the full review. Our article on why preventive care matters in McAllen makes the longer argument for that rhythm.
One note on timing: most deductibles reset January 1. Care completed in December, once your deductible is met, often costs less than identical care in January.
If You Have Not Seen a Doctor in Years
A fair number of our new patients open with an apology. Five years, ten years, since the last pregnancy, since the job that had insurance.
Nobody here is going to lecture you. The visit starts where you are, with baseline labs, a full exam, and a short list of the two or three things worth handling first. Not fifteen things at once.
The gap is the reason to come in, not a reason to wait longer. What builds quietly over ten years is exactly what a physical is designed to find.
Physical Exams at Giraldo Internal Medicine in McAllen, TX
Giraldo Internal Medicine provides annual physical exams for adults across McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Pharr, and the rest of the Rio Grande Valley. Dr. Alvaro Giraldo has practiced internal medicine for more than 38 years, and the team includes Sonia Reyna FNP-C, Alexa Giraldo Patterson MPAS PA-C, Amy Galvan MPAS PA-C, and Karen Baxter MPAS PA-C.
Blood draws, rapid lab testing, EKG, and pulmonary function testing are all done in our office, so most of your physical finishes in one trip. Our staff is bilingual in English and Spanish. We accept Medicare and most major insurance plans, we are accepting new patients, and Saturday appointments run from 9 to 1.
Giraldo Internal Medicine
1200 Savannah Ave STE 14, McAllen, TX 78503
Phone: (956) 668-0974
Website: giraldointernalmedicine.com
Call us today or visit our website to request an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does an annual physical take?
A: Plan on 30 to 45 minutes, plus check-in and a blood draw. New patients and people managing several conditions need longer, because the history review takes real time. Arriving 15 minutes early with paperwork done keeps the visit on schedule.
Q: Do I need to fast before my physical?
A: Sometimes. Fasting applies to certain tests, such as a fasting glucose or some lipid panels, and not to others. Ask when you schedule. If fasting is needed, allow 8 to 12 hours with water and black coffee only and take a morning appointment. Keep taking your regular medications unless told otherwise, and call first if you take insulin or a sulfonylurea.
Q: Is a physical free with insurance?
A: Often, yes, for the preventive portion. HealthCare.gov states that most plans cover recommended preventive services with no copay or coinsurance when you use an in-network provider. Two exceptions: a new problem treated at the same visit can be billed separately, and some labs sit outside the preventive list. Call with your insurance card and we will verify your plan first.
Q: Do you do sports, school, or DOT physicals?
A: Please call to confirm. We perform physical exams for adults, and whether we complete a specific employer, school, athletic, or Department of Transportation form depends on the form and its requirements. Our front desk will answer that in a minute on the phone.
Q: What if I have not had a physical in 10 years?
A: Then this is the right appointment. A long gap changes the plan, not the welcome. We start with a complete history, a full exam, and baseline labs, then handle the most important findings first. Ten years without screening is common and fixable.
Q: Do you do Pap smears?
A: Call to confirm. We manage the screening schedule, order what is due, and follow every result, but we cannot promise a specific in-office procedure on a blog page. When a gynecologist is the better fit, we refer and stay involved.
Q: Can I get my labs done the same day?
A: Yes. We have an in-house phlebotomist, so blood is drawn during your visit rather than at an outside lab. Some rapid tests result the same day. Standard panels come back within a few days by phone or patient portal.
Q: ¿Hacen exámenes físicos anuales en español?
A: Sí. Giraldo Internal Medicine is a fully bilingual practice. Your exam, your lab results, your medication instructions, and your prevention plan can all be handled in Spanish. A physical only works if you can explain what bothers you in the language you think in.
References and Resources
All USPSTF recommendation statements below are available at uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Breast Cancer: Screening. Final recommendation, April 30, 2024.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Cervical Cancer: Screening. Final recommendation, August 21, 2018, currently under update.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures: Screening. Final recommendation, January 14, 2025.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Colorectal Cancer: Screening. Final recommendation, May 18, 2021.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Screening. Final recommendation, 2019.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Prostate Cancer: Screening. Final recommendation, 2018.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: Screening. Final recommendation, 2021.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Adolescents and Adults: Screening. Final recommendation, 2020.
- American Cancer Society. Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer. Available at: cancer.org/cancer/screening
- HealthCare.gov. Preventive Health Services and Preventive Care Benefits for Adults. Available at: healthcare.gov/preventive-care-adults
- Medicare.gov. Yearly "Wellness" Visits. Available at: medicare.gov/coverage/yearly-wellness-visits
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Immunization Schedule by Age. Available at: cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules
