Medicare & Preventative Care – What’s Covered for Free?

Whether you are new to Medicare or have been on the plan for a while, you may not know Medicare will pay for many preventative care services. Continue reading for a brief overview of the services you can use with your Medicare plan. For a full list of preventative services covered by Medicare, visit their website at Medicare.Gov.

What is Preventative Care?

Preventative care services detect health problems early on to help you stay healthy. These could include routine exams, shots, lab tests, or screenings. If you can determine health concerns early, there is plenty of time to plan for effective treatments and even prevent certain diseases or further complications with your health.

Counseling and Education

Some standard preventative services covered by Medicare include counseling and education to help you learn how to keep yourself physically and mentally healthy. Receiving counseling on tobacco and alcohol use can help you create new habits for a longer, healthier life. For more details on what Medicare covers with preventative care screenings, the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created an educational tool for you.

Welcome to Medicare Checkup

If you are in your first year of Medicare, you can get a checkup during your first preventative visit. Much like a regular visit with your doctor, your “welcome to Medicare” checkup is a wellness visit to go over your current state of health and any services you may need.

Then, twelve months after your initial preventative visit, you will receive an annual wellness visit. So, if you missed your first opportunity for your “welcome to Medicare” checkup, you could still take advantage of your yearly wellness visit.

Annual Wellness Visit

Even after your first year of Medicare, you can still have your annual wellness visit, and it is beneficial if you do. Think of it as a baseline for your doctor to know if anything is abnormal in future visits. You will go over your basic health, like your weight, height, and blood pressure, as well as your medical history and medications. That way, your provider can help you with the right plan for your health with personalized advice.

Preventative Care Services

Not everyone will need to take advantage of these free preventative services with your Medicare plan, but it is good to know you are eligible for them. Here is a brief list of preventative care services covered by Medicare:

• Annual wellness visit

• Counseling for addictive substances like tobacco and alcohol

• Screening for mental health needs like depression

• Screenings for cardiovascular disease and obesity

• Therapy from a nutritionist to help manage weight

• Screenings for cervical, prostate, and lung cancer

• Bone mass measurements to prevent bone density loss

• Screenings for diabetes, glaucoma, hepatitis B & C, and HIV

• Screenings for mammograms, pap tests, pelvic exams, abdominal aortic aneurysms and STIs

• Flu shots and vaccinations

Medicare Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

Let the Medicare experts at Schatz Benefit Group guide you. With over 25 years of experience, we can answer your questions about the free preventative care services you can receive with your Medicare plan.