Does Medicare cover depression screening?

What happens during a Medicare depression screening?

During the screening, your doctor or other health care provider asks you questions to find out if you have depression. Medicare Part B covers the screening as a preventive service.

Where do I need to get the screening?

You must get the screening in a primary care setting, like a doctor's office or primary care clinic, where you can get follow-up treatment and referrals to a mental health provider. Depression screenings are also among the telehealth services Medicare covers, and through December 31, 2027, Medicare covers telehealth services you can get from anywhere in the U.S., including your home.

What does a depression screening cost with Medicare?

You pay nothing for the yearly depression screening if your provider accepts assignment. If you need follow-up treatment or go to a mental health care provider, you may have to pay a copayment or coinsurance. For outpatient visits to diagnose or treat a mental health condition, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after you meet the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026).

How often does Medicare cover depression screening?

Medicare Part B covers a depression screening once a year. Two other Part B preventive visits also touch on mental health:

• The one-time "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visit, within the first 12 months you have Part B, includes a review of your potential risk for depression.
• At the yearly "Wellness" visit, covered once every 12 months, Medicare.gov suggests talking with your doctor or other provider about changes in your mental health since your last visit.

What does Medicare cover if the screening shows depression?

Medicare Part B covers a wide range of outpatient mental health services, including individual and group psychotherapy, psychiatric evaluation and medication management, from providers such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers and mental health counselors. See what Medicare covers for therapy and counseling.

Part B may also pay for behavioral health integration services, which help your doctor or other provider manage your care for a behavioral health condition like depression or anxiety. Your provider will ask you to sign an agreement to get this set of services monthly, and after the Part B deductible you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.

Does Medicare Advantage cover depression screening?

Medicare Advantage Plans must cover all medically necessary services that Original Medicare covers, and plans may also offer extra benefits; rules and costs vary by plan. A Medicare Advantage Plan may require you to use doctors in its network, so check with your plan about where to get the screening and what you pay.