Medicare Part B Coverage: What It Includes

Medicare Part B health care benefits are intended to supplement the basic Medicare Part A catastrophic medical insurance, which covers long-term hospital stays, skilled nursing facilities, and hospice care. While Part A provides valuable and necessary benefits to Medicare recipients, it does not provide any coverage for home health care services, testing, and the routine medical preventive care needed to keep patients healthy. Medicare Part B coverage fills that gap for patients, paying for items like laboratory testing and screening and regular physical examinations.

In most cases, Medicare Part B coverage requires a monthly premium payment; while the amount varies, it is typically less than the same coverage would cost if obtained through a private insurance company. Medicare Part B usually covers medically necessary tests, labs, and screenings including diabetic testing, colorectal cancer screening, glaucoma testing, bone mass measurement, and cardiovascular screenings for those at risk for heart attack or stroke. Covered home health services include physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, the services of a social worker where required, and visits from a skilled nurse or home health care aide. Medically necessary chiropractic care is also covered, along with ambulance services in cases where traditional means of transport would put the patient in danger. Typically, physical examinations are not covered except for the initial examination upon entry into the Medicare program.

Medicare Part B coverage includes emergency room services in cases of medical necessity, and offers a wide range of preventive health services including mammograms, flu shots, pap smears and pelvic examinations, hearing and balance testing, mental health evaluations, nutrition advice and therapy, and even hepatitis B shots for those considered at medium to high risk for the disease. Outpatient surgery, prosthetics, transplants, and various forms of physical and occupational therapy are also included in Part B coverage, along with required prescription drugs for short-term and necessary therapies. Medicare recipients can take advantage of these benefits to maintain their physical health and reduce the costs of routine medical care, allowing them to receive the treatment they need without fear of unreasonably high health care expenses