Medicare is a federal government health insurance program primarily for people 65 and older. However, Medicare can also cover younger individuals with specific health conditions and disabilities. Medicare includes different parts, which provide different types of coverage — hospital insurance (Part A), medical insurance (Part B), Medicare Advantage plans (Part C), and prescription drug coverage (Part D).
While some services come at a cost, Medicare also offers many services with no out-of-pocket costs at all. That said, some of these freebies may not be available with Medicare Advantage, and there may be limitations on how often you can take advantage of a free service. Still, it’s worth knowing about these 13 things Medicare gives you for free.
1. Welcome check-up
Your free welcome visit must take place within the first 12 months of signing up for Medicare Part B. Think of this visit as a time when your provider will establish a baseline for future care. Your medical history and medications will be reviewed. Your provider will also take your blood pressure, height and weight, do a simple vision test, and ask several questions about your mental and behavioral health. You might also get a flu, pneumococcal or other preventative care shot.
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You won’t pay a deductible for this welcome appointment, but you may be responsible for a coinsurance. If your provider performs other types of tests, you also may have to pay a deductible.
2. Yearly wellness visits
According to Medicare, your yearly wellness visit is to “update your personalized plan to help prevent disease or disability.” It is not a comprehensive annual physical exam, which Medicare doesn’t cover. Instead, your provider will complete a risk assessment and use the results to update the care plan created during your welcome visit. Keep in mind that you can’t schedule an annual wellness visit within the first 12 months of signing up for Medicare Part B.
3. Seasonal vaccines
Medicare covers most vaccines at no cost to enrollees who have Medicare Part D prescription plans or Medicare Advantage drug coverage, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2022. These vaccines may include shots for shingles, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), COVID-19, Hepatitis B, the flu and more. People who are at greater risk of complications or hospitalizations from these illnesses can greatly benefit from these free vaccines.
4. Alcohol counseling
Medicare will cover the cost of one screening for alcohol misuse each year. If you use alcohol but haven’t received an alcohol dependency diagnosis, your primary care doctor or other health care provider may determine you’re misusing alcohol. If so, you can receive up to four face-to-face counseling sessions in your doctor's office or clinic each year. About 18 million adults in the U.S. have an alcohol use disorder (AUD), making this a valuable service for those who need the help.
5. Treatment for opioid use
Seven out of 10 overdose deaths are caused by opioids. Medicare covers the cost of recovery treatments for opioid use disorder. And, you won’t pay a copay if you receive your treatments through an opioid treatment program (OTP) that is enrolled in Medicare. Although your treatment plan may include overdose training, assessments, drug tests, therapy and more, your Medicare Part B deductible does apply to any medications or other supplies you receive as part of your treatment plan.
6. Colorectal screenings
Colorectal cancer is expected to cause about 52,900 deaths in the U.S. in 2025, according to the American Cancer Society. A screening for colon cancer can help ensure that doesn’t happen to you. Medicare covers four screening tests for colorectal cancer, including:
- A fecal occult blood test every 12 months, starting at age 45
- A flexible sigmoidoscopy every 48 months, also starting at age 45
- A stool DNA test every three years for people between the ages of 45 and 85 who are not at high risk for colon cancer and have no symptoms of colorectal disease
- A screening colonoscopy every 10 years if you are not at high risk for colon cancer, or every two years if you have a family history of colon cancer or have past colon problems
7. Depression screenings
Medicare Part B recipients receive one depression screening in their primary care provider's office each year, free of charge. During the screening, you may be asked about sleeping habits, if you’ve contemplated suicide, if you have feelings of hopelessness, etc. If your provider recommends follow-up treatment, then your coinsurance under Part B would apply. Since about 21 million adults in the U.S. (8.4%) experienced a major depressive episode in 2023 alone, it’s worth it to be screened, especially since it's covered.
8. Yearly mammograms
Once a year, Medicare will pay for a screening mammogram if you are a woman over the age of 40. Yet, 59% of respondents of a survey given by MedStar Health say they typically forgo the recommended routine exam. If the screening mammogram shows suspicious results, your healthcare provider may order a diagnostic mammogram. If this happens, you might be responsible for some of the cost of the diagnostic mammogram. The same applies if your doctor orders a breast ultrasound.
9. Diabetes screenings
Just over 38 million people have diabetes in the U.S., according to the CDC. Yet, 22.8% of adults with diabetes are undiagnosed even though Medicare Part B covers up to two diabetes screenings each year. Your provider will determine if you are at risk for developing diabetes and if you have risk factors such as high blood pressure or a history of high blood sugar. Medicare Part B will also cover these screenings if two or more of the following conditions apply:
- You are over the age of 65
- You are overweight
- Have a family history of diabetes
- You’ve had gestational diabetes while pregnant
10. Lung cancer screenings
Mayo Clinic states that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. And, you don't have to be a smoker to get lung cancer. Medicare will cover one screening each year using low-dose computed tomography if you’re age 50 to 77, and have no signs or symptoms of lung cancer, you smoke now or have smoked in the past 15 years, have a history of smoking, and can get an order from your healthcare provider for the screening,
11. Yearly prostate cancer screenings
Approximately 12.8% or one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point during their lifetime. But did you know that more than 99% of prostate cancers occur in men over age 50? Medicare Part B covers the cost of a yearly prostate-specific antigen (PSA) lab screening and a digital rectal exam starting the day after your 50th birthday.
12. Nutrition services
If you have kidney disease or diabetes, or you’ve received a kidney transplant in the past 36 months, Medicare will cover some nutrition services, including an initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment to help you manage your illness. Follow-up visits to your doctor and individual or group sessions may also be covered.
13. Bone density tests
Bone density tests can help measure whether or not you are at risk for broken bones. They are free to eligible Medicare recipients every two years, or more often if ordered by your healthcare provider. To qualify, you must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- You are a woman diagnosed as estrogen-deficient and at risk of osteoporosis
- Your X-rays show possible osteoporosis, osteopenia or vertebral fractures
- You take prednisone or other steroid-type drugs
- You have primary hyperparathyroidism
- You are on osteoporosis drug therapy
Nine things Medicare doesn't cover
Medicare covers most health care needs for older Americans, but, as a rule, some things just aren’t part of the program.
- Dental work
- Routine eye exams and glasses
- Hearing aids
- Many chiropractors’ services
- Elective cosmetic surgery
- Massage therapy
- Podiatrist’s routine foot care
- Medical costs outside the U.S.
- Long-term care
Bottom line
If you’ve signed up for Medicare, its time to start taking advantage of these 13 free services the program offers. Schedule your welcome visit right away and tuck the cash you save under your mattress for a rainy day. Or, better yet, pay down high-interest debt, start an emergency fund or splurge on yourself — after all, you only turn 65 once.
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