Specialist in Adult Primary Care & Lifestyle Medicine
Casey Baxter-Wilms grew up in southwest Ohio, just outside of Cincinnati, in a small rural community. After completing their undergraduate studies, she moved to Chicago, where she met her now husband. Seeking a change from the harsh winters, they relocated to Chattanooga in 2018, drawn by the abundance of outdoor activities and immediately feeling at home.
Casey’s passion for healthcare and helping others drove her to pursue medicine. With a background in health promotion as a personal trainer, yoga teacher, and nutrition coach, she strongly desired to expand her ability to make a difference. Becoming a nurse practitioner allows her to serve as the primary care provider for her patients, working closely with them to improve their health and meet their healthcare needs.
As an Adult-Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner specializing in Lifestyle Medicine, Casey focuses on preventing and reversing disease and reducing risk factors associated with aging. Her expertise in personal training, nutrition coaching, and yoga instruction enables her to work with patients on multiple levels, addressing their holistic well-being.
Outside of work, Casey enjoys spending time in the great outdoors. Hiking, trail running, mountain biking, camping, backpacking, paddleboarding, and swimming are among her favorite activities. She is also an avid cook and has recently taken up the art of making sourdough bread. Regarding family, Casey is happily married to her husband and shares their home with two blue heeler mixes named Lottie and Louie and two cats named Honey and Maple.
961 Spring Creek Rd, Suite 301
Chattanooga, TN, 37412
Since 2022
BS | Miami University
MSN | Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM)
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Chattanooga Area Nurses in Advance Practice (CANAP)
What is a wellness exam?
An annual wellness exam is a comprehensive preventive exam with your primary care physician for the sole purpose of preventive care. An annual exam does not include discussion of new problems or detailed review of chronic conditions. An annual exam may also be called a routine check-up, yearly exam, annual pap, or preventive visit.
Will my insurance pay for a wellness exam?
Most health plans will pay for one wellness or preventive exam per year. Your insurance provider may consider this to be (1) once per calendar year or (2) or once every 366 days from the date of your last wellness exam.
If you have had any other visit billed as preventive during this time period your plan is likely to deny your wellness exam. This would include a well-woman exam or annual pap smear. Your plan may not pay for all testing and/or labs ordered during your wellness exam. If your provider has a concern and orders diagnostic testing and/or labs during your exam you may be financially responsible.
It is the patient’s responsibility to check with their insurance provider to see what is covered under their wellness benefit, and to ensure they are eligible prior to scheduling their annual wellness exam.
What is the difference between a wellness exam and a problem visit?
Preventive visits and tests ordered by your provider can help you stay healthy and catch problems early. Diagnostic visits and testing are used to diagnose a current health problem. Diagnostic tests are ordered by your provider when you have symptoms and they want to find out why. For example, your provider might want you to have a test because of your age or family history, that’s preventive care, but if it’s because you’re having symptoms or a problem, that is diagnostic care.
Can I have a wellness exam and problem visit at the same time?
The answer is Yes, but not preferred. It is possible to address a problem at a wellness exam, however, it is not the preferred method. A wellness exam is a comprehensive review of systems, medications, past and current medical history, health risk assessment, and preventive testing for potential risks. Wellness exams typically do not require a copay, and, many times, may be covered at 100% (this, of course, is dependent on your insurance plan). When you combine a problem visit with the wellness exam you are billed for both a wellness visit, and a problem visit; which may then require a copay, or have the charges applied to your deductible. For this reason, we ask that you please schedule a separate appointment, on a different day, if you have any new concerns or ongoing health problems that need more attention.
Our experienced group of providers apply a modern approach and a caring touch to provide you with the highest quality health care in the Chattanooga region.
