Do You Really Need A Physical Every Year?

What do you think? Do you really need a physical exam every year? The Wall Street Journal, in a great many words, has this to say: no. The Journal reports that three years ago the Society of General Internal Medicine recommended against performing routine physicals for asymptomatic adults, noting that such exams “haven’t shown to be effective in reducing morbidity, mortality or hospitalization, while creating a potential harm from unnecessary testing.”  Wait, there’s more. The American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians have no recommendation. The argument for annual exams? It’s good to know your doctor, and it’s even better for your doctor to know you. According to the Journal, a recent Kaiser Foundation survey found that nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults say they get a physical exam every year. Now that the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover annual physicals free of charge, it’s not about money out of your pocket, so the choice may be easier, or harder.