What Preventive Care Services Does Medicare Cover?
Medicare Part B covers a wide range of preventive care, including the yearly "Wellness" visit, cancer screenings, vaccines, and counseling, and you pay nothing for most of these services as long as your provider accepts Medicare assignment. For these covered preventive services, there is no coinsurance and the Part B deductible does not apply. The key things to know are that each service has its own eligibility and frequency rules (for example, a mammogram once every 12 months), and that the yearly Wellness visit is a prevention planning visit, not a full head-to-toe physical exam. You can be charged if a doctor adds non-covered tests or services during the same appointment.
Are Medicare preventive services free?
Most preventive and screening services are covered with no cost to you under Medicare Part B. That means no coinsurance, and the yearly Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) does not apply. This is true only when your provider accepts Medicare assignment, meaning they agree to accept the Medicare-approved amount as full payment.
If you see a provider who does not accept assignment, or if you receive a test or service that is not on Medicare's preventive list, you may owe out-of-pocket costs. Preventive care is a benefit category under Part B, so you still need to be enrolled in Part B and pay your monthly premium ($202.90 in 2026) to use it.
- $0 for most covered preventive services when the provider accepts assignment
- The Part B deductible does not apply to these services
- You must be enrolled in Part B (premium $202.90/mo in 2026)
- Using a provider who does not accept assignment can create unexpected charges
Welcome to Medicare visit vs. the yearly Wellness visit
These are two different visits, and neither one is a routine annual physical. Both are $0 when the provider accepts assignment, and the Part B deductible does not apply.
The one-time "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visit is available only within the first 12 months you have Part B. The yearly "Wellness" visit happens once every 12 months and is used to create or update a personalized prevention plan. Your first Wellness visit cannot take place within 12 months of enrolling in Part B or within 12 months of your Welcome to Medicare visit.
Important: the yearly Wellness visit includes a Health Risk Assessment questionnaire and a review of your health, but it is NOT a head-to-toe physical exam. If your doctor performs additional tests or services that Medicare does not cover as preventive (such as a routine physical or treating a specific complaint) during the same appointment, you may owe coinsurance and the Part B deductible for that part of the visit.
- Welcome to Medicare visit: one time only, within your first 12 months of Part B; $0
- Yearly Wellness visit: once every 12 months; $0
- The Wellness visit is a prevention-planning visit with a Health Risk Assessment, not a physical exam
- Extra non-covered tests done at the same visit can be billed to you
Cancer screenings Medicare covers
Medicare covers several cancer screenings, each with its own age and frequency rules. You generally pay nothing when the doctor accepts assignment.
- Mammogram (breast cancer): one screening mammogram every 12 months for women 40 or older, plus one baseline mammogram once in a lifetime for women ages 35-39; $0
- Colorectal cancer screening: covered for people 45 or older, including fecal occult blood tests, flexible sigmoidoscopy, screening colonoscopy, CT colonography, multi-target stool DNA tests, and blood-based biomarker tests; $0 for a flexible sigmoidoscopy or screening colonoscopy
- Colonoscopy frequency: a screening colonoscopy is covered once every 120 months (10 years), or 48 months after a previous flexible sigmoidoscopy; blood-based biomarker tests are covered once every 3 years (ages 45-85)
- Cervical and vaginal cancer screening (Pap test and pelvic exam): once every 24 months, or once every 12 months for women at high risk or of child-bearing age with a recent abnormal exam; $0 for the Pap test
- Lung cancer screening: a low-dose CT scan (LDCT) once a year for beneficiaries who qualify
Other screenings, monitoring, and counseling
Beyond cancer screenings, Part B covers a range of health screenings, monitoring programs, and counseling services. You pay nothing for these when the provider accepts assignment and you meet the eligibility rules.
- Cardiovascular disease screening: blood tests for cholesterol, lipid, and triglyceride levels once every 5 years; $0
- Diabetes screening: up to 2 screenings per year for at-risk beneficiaries (no more than once in a 12-month period after a prior screening); $0
- Bone mass measurement (bone density): once every 24 months, or more often if medically necessary, for qualifying beneficiaries; $0
- Depression screening: once a year in a primary care setting; $0
- Obesity screening and behavioral counseling: BMI screening plus counseling when given by a primary care provider in a primary care setting; $0
- Alcohol misuse screening and counseling, and smoking/tobacco cessation counseling; $0
Vaccines and shots Medicare covers at no cost
Some vaccines are covered under Part B and others under your Part D drug plan, but in both cases many common adult vaccines are now available with no cost to you.
Under Part B, flu, pneumococcal, and COVID-19 vaccines are covered with no cost to you, and the Part B deductible does not apply, when the provider accepts assignment. The hepatitis B vaccine is also covered under Part B at no cost, but only for people at medium or high risk of hepatitis B (for example, people with diabetes or end-stage renal disease); it is not covered under Part B for everyone.
Under Part D drug plans, all adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) are covered with no copayment and no deductible. This includes the shingles vaccine (Shingrix), RSV, and Tdap. To get these at $0, you generally need a Part D plan and should use an in-network pharmacy or provider.
- Part B (no cost): flu, pneumococcal, and COVID-19 vaccines for all beneficiaries; hepatitis B vaccine only for those at medium or high risk
- Part D (no cost): ACIP-recommended adult vaccines, including shingles (Shingrix), RSV, and Tdap
Medicare Advantage plans and avoiding surprise charges
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are required to cover all the preventive services that Original Medicare covers. For preventive services that are free under Original Medicare, your Advantage plan must charge $0 when you use an in-network provider. Network and referral rules vary by plan, so confirm the details and provider list in your plan's Evidence of Coverage before scheduling.
If you were billed for a visit that you expected to be free, common reasons include: the provider does not accept Medicare assignment; the visit was an annual physical rather than the covered Wellness visit; an extra test or service was added that Medicare does not cover as preventive; or, with an Advantage plan, you went out of network. When you schedule, you can ask the office to confirm the service is being billed as a Medicare-covered preventive screening.
For the complete official list of covered preventive services, see the CMS booklet "Your Guide to Medicare Preventive Services" (publication 10110), linked in the sources below. This guide is independent and not affiliated with the federal government or Medicare.
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare cover an annual physical exam?
Medicare does not cover a traditional head-to-toe annual physical. Instead, it covers a one-time "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visit in your first 12 months of Part B and a yearly "Wellness" visit thereafter. The Wellness visit focuses on a Health Risk Assessment and building a personalized prevention plan, not a full physical exam. If your doctor performs extra tests or a routine physical during the same visit, you may be charged coinsurance and the Part B deductible for that portion.
Why was I charged for a preventive visit that was supposed to be free?
Common reasons include the provider not accepting Medicare assignment, the visit being billed as a routine physical instead of the covered Wellness visit, an extra test or service added during the visit that Medicare does not cover as preventive, or, with a Medicare Advantage plan, going out of network. Asking the office in advance to confirm the service is billed as a Medicare-covered preventive screening can help you avoid surprises.
How often will Medicare pay for a mammogram?
Medicare covers one screening mammogram every 12 months for women 40 or older at no cost when the doctor accepts assignment. It also covers one baseline mammogram once in a lifetime for women ages 35 to 39.
Does Medicare cover the shingles vaccine?
Yes. The shingles vaccine (Shingrix) is covered under Medicare Part D drug plans with no copayment and no deductible, because it is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). You generally need a Part D plan to get it at $0.
Does Medicare Part B cover the hepatitis B vaccine for free?
Part B covers the hepatitis B vaccine at $0 (no coinsurance and no deductible when the provider accepts assignment), but only for people at medium or high risk of hepatitis B, such as those with diabetes or end-stage renal disease. If you are not in a medium- or high-risk group, the hepatitis B vaccine is generally covered under a Part D drug plan instead.
Do Medicare Advantage plans cover the same preventive services as Original Medicare?
Yes. Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans must cover all the preventive services Original Medicare covers, and they must charge $0 for services that are free under Original Medicare when you use an in-network provider. Network and referral rules vary by plan, so check your Evidence of Coverage.
Does the Part B deductible apply to preventive services?
For most covered preventive services, no. There is no coinsurance and the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) does not apply, as long as your provider accepts Medicare assignment. The deductible can apply if a non-covered test or service is added during the same visit.
Sources
Related guides
Medicare Login Guide is an independent resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or any government agency. This article is for general information only — confirm current figures and your specific options at medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.