Questions to Ask about 

Medicare Preventive Services

Are you visiting your doctor or other health 

care provider? Be prepared with a list of 

questions you can take with you.

Talk to your doctor or health care 

provider Your doctor or health care provider may suggest exams 

or tests that Medicare doesn’t cover or recommend that 

you have tests more or less often than Medicare covers 

them. 

Talk to your doctor or health care provider to find out 

how often you need certain exams or tests to stay healthy.

Get test results

If you don’t hear from your doctor or health care provider, 

call and ask for the results. Ask what the results mean 

for your care, and use that information to talk with your 

provider and make decisions. Don’t assume the results are 

fine if you don’t get them when expected.

Resources 

For more information about Medicare preventive 

services, you can: • Visit Medicare.gov. • Visit Medicare.gov/publications to view the 

booklet, “Your Guide to Medicare’s Preventive 

Services.” 

• Visit MyMedicare.gov to get direct access to your 

preventive health information. 

• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). 

TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

• Call your State Health Insurance Assistance 

Program (SHIP). Visit shiptacenter.org, or call 

1-800-MEDICARE for your SHIP’s phone number.

The information in this publication was up-to-date when 

it was printed. Medicare coverage of preventive services 

may change at any time. Visit Medicare.gov for more 

information.

You have the right to get Medicare information in an 

accessible format, like large print, Braille, or audio. You 

also have the right to file a complaint if you feel you’ve 

been discriminated against. Visit Medicare.gov/about-us/

nondiscrimination/accessibility-nondiscrimination.html, 

or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for more 

information. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

Paid for by the Department of Health & Human Services

CMS Product No. 11542

Revised June 2019

C E N T E R S F O R M E D I C A R E & M E D I C A I D S E R V I C E S
T he best way to stay healthy is to live a 

healthy lifestyle. You can be healthier 

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 

counseling and education to help you take 

care of your own health.

Before you leave your doctor’s office, make sure to ask these questions:

About the test

☐ Do I need the test?

☐ What’s the test for?

☐ How’s the test done?

☐ What are the benefits and risks of having the test?

☐ What do I need to do to prepare for the test?

About the test results

☐ When will I get the results?

☐ What will they tell me?

☐ What’s the next step after the test?

☐ How often do I need this test?

☐ Do I need to get a referral?

☐ Do I need to make an appointment? 

Costs for the test

☐ Will Medicare/my other insurance pay for/cover the test?

☐ How much will I have to pay?

Ask about preventive services 

1. Below are important things you should ask your doctor.

2. Check the box next to each item when you ask.

3. Use the space after each question to write down important information.

4. Skip any items that don’t apply to you. 

Medicare covers these preventive services: 5. Use the resources on the last page if have questions.

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening

• Alcohol misuse screening and counseling

• Bone mass measurement

• Cardiovascular disease 

 (behavioral therapy)

• Cardiovascular screening

• Colorectal cancer screening

– Fecal occult blood test

– Flexible sigmoidoscopy

– Colonoscopy

– Barium enema

– Multi-target stool DNA test 

 (like CologuardTM)

• Depression screening

• Diabetes screening

• Diabetes self-management 

 training

• Flu shot

• Glaucoma test

• Hepatitis B shot 

• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection 

 screening

• Hepatitis C screening

• HIV screening

• Lung cancer screening

• Mammogram (screening)

• Medical nutrition therapy services

• Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program

• Obesity screening and counseling

• Pap test and pelvic exam

• Pneumococcal shots

• Prostate cancer screening

• Sexually transmitted infection 

 screening and counseling

• Smoking and tobacco use cessation

• “Welcome to Medicare” 

 preventive visit

• Yearly “Wellness” visit