Medicare Part B Preventive Services You Can Get at No Extra Cost
Many of the most valuable benefits in Medicare Part B are the ones that help you stay healthy, not just treat you when you’re sick. Part B covers a long list of preventive services at no cost to you as long as certain rules are met—typically when you see a provider who accepts Medicare assignment and follow Medicare’s coverage guidelines.
Below are the major categories of preventive care you can usually get without a Part B deductible or coinsurance.
Your “Free” Yearly Check-Ins
Welcome to Medicare visit
In your first 12 months with Part B, you can get a one-time “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit. It generally includes:
- Review of your medical and social history
- Measurement of height, weight, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI)
- Vision check and risk assessment for depression and safety issues
- Brief counseling and a plan for recommended screenings and vaccines
Yearly wellness visit
After that first year, you’re entitled to a yearly wellness visit. This is not a head-to-toe physical exam; it’s a structured visit to:
- Update your health history, medications, and provider list
- Screen for cognitive issues and depression
- Review fall risks and home safety
- Create or update a personalized prevention plan
Preventive services recommended during this visit are often also covered at no cost when done according to Medicare rules.
Screenings Medicare Part B Covers With No Copay
When done at the recommended frequency and with eligible risk factors, these common screenings are typically free under Part B:
- Mammograms for breast cancer (screening mammograms once every 12 months for most women over 40)
- Colorectal cancer screenings, which can include stool tests, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or certain DNA-based stool tests, depending on your age and risk
- Pap tests and pelvic exams for cervical and vaginal cancer, including HPV tests for eligible women
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound for certain people at higher risk
- Cardiovascular disease screenings such as cholesterol, lipid, and triglyceride tests at set intervals
- Diabetes screenings if you have specific risk factors
- Lung cancer screening with low-dose CT for certain current or former smokers
- HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C screenings for people who meet Medicare’s criteria
- Bone density test (DEXA scan) for qualified individuals at risk of osteoporosis
The key is that these tests must be used as preventive screenings, not as follow-up or diagnostic tests after symptoms appear. Diagnostic testing may involve copays or deductibles.
Vaccines and Counseling Services
Medicare Part B also covers several immunizations at no cost to you when you meet coverage criteria, including:
- Flu shot (usually once per flu season)
- Pneumococcal vaccines for pneumonia and related infections
- COVID-19 vaccines under current Medicare rules
- Some hepatitis B shots for people at medium or high risk
In addition, certain behavioral counseling and support services are covered with no coinsurance when you qualify, such as:
- Tobacco use cessation counseling if you use tobacco
- Obesity behavioral counseling if your BMI meets Medicare’s threshold
- Alcohol misuse screening and counseling for people at risk
How to Make the Most of Your Free Preventive Benefits
To avoid surprise bills:
- Confirm the visit or test is being billed as preventive, not diagnostic.
- Make sure your provider accepts Medicare assignment.
- Ask whether any additional tests or procedures during the same visit might trigger coinsurance.
Used well, these free Part B preventive services can help you and your providers catch problems earlier, manage risks, and keep you healthier over the long term—without adding to your out-of-pocket costs.