What Medicare Covers: 14 Little-Known Free Services That Can Help You Save Money and Prevent Health Problems

If you have or will have Medicare, you probably know the basics of what it covers. But there are still little-known free services that are included in Medicare health insurance. MSN.

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They are not completely free because Medicare is not free. But these included services do not require out-of-pocket costs for many Medicare recipients.

There are some caveats. For example, there may be frequency limits and your provider must accept Medicare payment terms. However, it's worth knowing that these benefits are in your pocket if you have Original Medicare, which is one of the two main types of Medicare.

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Listed below are services available to Medicare recipients that can save you money and help prevent costly health problems.

1. Part A premiums

The Medicare component, called Part A, mainly covers hospital stays and inpatient care (whereas Part B mainly covers services at providers' offices).

Most people do not need to pay a monthly premium for Part A coverage if they paid Medicare payroll taxes during their work year.

Part A Medicare premium-free is available to people aged 65 and over if they are eligible for or already receiving retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board. It is also available to any person of that age who has worked in the public sector covered by Medicare, or the spouse of a person who has worked in the public sector covered by Medicare.

2. Wellness visit "Welcome to Medicare"

Not to be confused with an annual visit to a wellness center, the preventive visit "Welcome to Medicare, available without paying out-of-pocket, must take place within the first 12 months after someone starts their Medicare Part B coverage.

During this one-time visit, the health care provider will provide information about Medicare-covered preventive services and may refer you to other specialists based on an analysis of your medical and social status.

3. Annual wellness visit

The purpose annual medical visit available to Medicare recipients is developing or updating a personalized plan to help prevent disease and disability based on your health condition.

According to Medicare.gov, the official government website for Medicare, a visit may also include:

• Review of your medical and family history.
• Develop or update a list of your health care providers and prescriptions.
• Common measurements such as height, weight and blood pressure.
• Identification of cognitive impairments.
• Individual health consultations.
• Just note that additional costs may apply if you receive additional tests or services during your annual visit that are not covered by preventive benefits.

4. Vaccination

If you have Medicare, one is covered flu shot for flu season. Vaccine against Covid-19 and revaccination are also covered.

Two vaccinations from pneumococcus also included. These vaccines protect against pneumococcal disease, which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes as any type of infection caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. These may include pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis.

Vaccines against hepatitis B can also be covered.

5. Cancer screening

Medicare covers cancer screenings. These include different types of cancer:

• colorectal cancer - one colonoscopy every 24 or 120 months, depending on your risk group.
• Cancer light— One low-dose CT scan or dose-loss CT scan each year for certain current and former smokers aged 55 to 77 years.
• Cancer cervix and vagina - includes a Pap smear, a pelvic exam, and a breast exam every 12 or 24 months, depending on your risk group.
• Cancer prostate glands - includes a blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) every 12 months for men over 50 years of age.

Some cancer screenings have specific requirements while others do not.

6. Mental health check

For mental health, Medicare provides the following free screenings:

• Abuse alcohol - one screening per year if you drink alcohol but are not considered dependent on it.
• Depression - one screening per year.

7. Other medical examinations

In addition to cancer and mental health screenings, Medicare provides a number of free screenings for other health conditions. They include the following treatments, most of which are free if you meet certain risk factors:

• Aneurysm abdominal aorta - one screening in a lifetime
• CordiallyVascular disease - blood tests every five years
• Sugar diabetes - up to two examinations per year
• Hepatitis C - up to one screening per year
• ВИЧ - up to three examinations per year
• Obesity - one initial screening
• Sexually transmitted infections - Examination once a year

8. Counseling

Medicare provides the following types of counseling for eligible people:

• Advice on alcohol - up to four sessions per year
• Smoking advice and smoking - up to eight sessions within 12 months.

9. Bone Density Tests

These tests, also known asbone mass measurementshelp determine if you are at risk for bone fractures. They are free for eligible Medicare recipients every 24 months, or more often if medically necessary. To qualify, you must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Be a doctor-approved woman with an estrogen deficiency and at risk for osteoporosis.
• Get an x-ray that shows possible osteoporosis, osteopenia, or vertebral fractures.
• Take prednisolone or steroid-type drugs.
• Have a diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism.
• Take medications for osteoporosis, the effectiveness of which must be monitored.

10. Cardiovascular behavioral therapy

Medicare provides free visits once a year cardiological behavioral therapy from a primary health care provider.

This visit is designed to help people reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease and includes a blood pressure check as well as healthy eating tips. You can also discuss taking a daily aspirin.

11. Training for diabetics

Those diagnosed with diabetes have access to free self-control training.

On an outpatient basis, this training takes place primarily in a group setting and covers topics such as blood sugar monitoring, healthy eating, and drug administration.

Medicare pays for up to 10 hours of initial education and, in some cases, two hours of subsequent education each year thereafter.

12. Nutritional therapy

Individuals with diabetes or kidney disease, and individuals who have had a kidney transplant within 36 months are eligible for free medical advice on nutrition. Covered services may include initial nutrition and lifestyle assessments, individual and group therapy, and follow-up visits.

13. What's Covered App

In 2019 Medicare presented the free What's Covered app. You can use the app to search for medical items and services and see if Medicare covers them.

If you don't want to download the app, or if you don't have a smartphone or tablet with an Internet connection, you can use your computer to access the Medicare.gov Your Medicare Coverage tool, which also lets you search for a product or service.

14. Insurance assistance

Medicare-eligible people and their families and caregivers have access to free, detailed, personalized insurance advice and assistance through their local Public Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP).

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The US Department of Health and Human Services funds SHIP through state grants. SHIP is available in every state, as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands.

SHIP can be especially helpful during the open enrollment season, although they offer a variety of other services besides personalized help considering your Medicare plan options. They may also:

• Answer questions about what Medicare does and does not cover.
• Tell you about cash-reimbursement programs that you may be eligible for.
• Help you understand the Medicare eligibility criteria.
• Explain how Medicare coverage works in conjunction with supplementary insurance policies, Medicaid, and other forms of health insurance.

To find a SHIP for your state, visit the national SHIP website.

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