Medicare Preventive Services: What is Covered?
As the saying goes "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," and as you get older, taking preventative mea...
Read moreWhen we’re young we believe that we’re invincible, which makes it harder to admit as we age that our bodies naturally need more care. Normal aging affects the heart, bones and joints, so preventive care is key to avoiding aging that could be harmful to your health.
Medicare-eligible Americans who are signed up for Medicare Part B as part of Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) can take advantage of the preventive services that are included. Preventive care can help save you from serious illnesses entirely or detect health conditions early enough to treat.
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What are Medicare preventive services?
Preventive services include fully and partially covered screenings, vaccinations, and counseling services.
If your doctor accepts assignment, meaning your doctor agrees to accept Medicare’s fee for covered services, you can benefit from the many preventive care services that are available at no cost to you. Free preventive care services are readily available to adults age 50 or older, so it’s surprising to learn that less than 50 percent of adults age 65 and older are up to date on preventive services, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If your provider does not accept payment in full — or Medicare at all — you may pay for the services out of pocket.
Below is a breakdown of which Medicare preventive services are free and which aren’t.
Fully covered Medicare preventive services:
Partially covered Medicare preventive services:
If a free service leads to other non-preventive services based on the results, you may have to pay. However, Medicare plans could help cover those costs. Not all Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for all Medicare preventive services. For example, mammograms are a free service to female Medicare beneficiaries only. You may want to check your Medicare policy if you have questions about which preventive services are covered.
Clifton Stubbs is a regional sales director for HealthMarkets and Excelsior Insurance Brokerage.
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