Your Guide to Medicare's Preventive Services

Now is the time to get the most out of your Medicare. The best way to stay healthy is to live a healthy lifestyle. You can live a healthy lifestyle and prevent disease by exercising, eating well, keeping a healthy weight, and not smoking. Medicare can help. Medicare pays for many preventive services to keep you healthy. Preventive services can find health problems early, when treatment works best, and can keep you from getting certain diseases. Preventive services include exams, shots, lab tests, and screenings. They also include programs for health monitoring, and counseling and education to help you take care of your own health. The Affordable Care Act makes many improvements to Medicare. If you have Original Medicare, you can get a yearly “Wellness” visit and many other covered preventive services. Whether it’s online, in person, or on the phone, Medicare is committed to helping people get the information they need to make smart choices about their Medicare benefits. This publication covers preventive services, and services that help keep certain illnesses from getting worse. The services listed in this booklet are covered if you have Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance). However, the amount you pay for these services varies depending on whether you get your Medicare benefits through Original Medicare or through a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO). This publication explains the way preventive services are covered if you have Part B under Original Medicare. If you get your health care coverage through a Medicare Advantage Plan, call your plan for more information. Also available in Spanish.