Medicare 2026

Medicare Preventive Services: The Visits and Screenings You Can Get at No Cost

Medicare was built with prevention in mind. If you're new to the program — or you've had it for years and never used some of its benefits — it's worth knowing that a long list of checkups, screenings, counseling sessions, and vaccines are covered with nothing out of pocket, as long as a few conditions are met. Here's a plain-English guide to what's available, how to use it, and what to watch for so a "free" visit stays free.

The two "big" visits: Welcome to Medicare and the Yearly Wellness

Think of these as planning visits, not full physicals. During your first 12 months enrolled in Part B, you're entitled to a one-time Welcome to Medicare preventive visit. It's a chance for your doctor to review your medical and family history, go over the preventive services you're due for, and talk through risk factors.

After that first year, you can have a Yearly Wellness visit once every 12 months. The focus is on updating your health risk assessment, screening for cognitive changes, reviewing medications, and building a personalized schedule of future screenings. Neither visit is a head-to-toe physical in the traditional sense — but both are powerful planning tools, and both are covered at no cost when the provider accepts assignment.

Screenings and shots that are typically no-cost

Medicare pays the full cost of a wide range of preventive services when the provider accepts assignment. That generally includes:

• The seasonal flu shot, as well as COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccines.
• Cardiovascular screening blood tests to check cholesterol and other lipids.
• Many cancer screenings, including those for colorectal, breast, cervical, and lung cancer, under the conditions Medicare sets.
• Diabetes screening and, for those who qualify, diabetes self-management training.
• Screenings for depression, alcohol misuse, obesity, and tobacco use, plus related counseling.
• Bone mass measurement for people at risk of osteoporosis.
• Screening for hepatitis B and C, HIV, and certain sexually transmitted infections, for those who meet the criteria.
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening for people with specific risk factors.

Eligibility rules — how often, who qualifies, which test — vary by service. The complete, current list and the frequency rules live on Medicare.gov.

Why "no-cost" sometimes isn't

There are two situations that catch people off guard.

First, "assignment." A provider who accepts assignment agrees to Medicare's approved amount as full payment. If your provider doesn't accept assignment, you could face additional charges. Before a visit, it's reasonable to ask the office directly.

Second, extra care at a preventive visit. If you come in for a Wellness visit and mention a new symptom — a sore knee, trouble sleeping — and the doctor evaluates or treats it, that portion of the visit may be billed as a regular office visit, with the usual copay or coinsurance applying. The preventive piece is still covered; the added piece may not be. Asking the office how a visit will be coded can prevent surprises.

If you have Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover the same preventive services as Original Medicare, generally with no cost sharing when you use in-network providers. Networks and extra benefits vary from plan to plan, so check your plan's materials for details on providers and any plan-specific rules.

Original Medicare plus Medigap, or Medicare Advantage?

Both paths cover preventive services. Beyond that, they differ in structure. Original Medicare lets you see any provider who accepts Medicare nationwide; many people pair it with a stand-alone Part D drug plan and a Medigap policy to help with cost sharing. Medicare Advantage bundles hospital, medical, and usually drug coverage into one plan, often with extra benefits, but typically uses provider networks and plan rules. Neither path is "better" — the right fit depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, your budget, and how you like to get care.

Key program facts worth knowing

A few numbers to keep in mind as you plan for 2027:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
• The highest deductible any Part D plan may charge in 2027 is $700.
• The Part D base beneficiary premium for 2027 is $41.33, a national figure used to calculate the late-enrollment penalty; actual plan premiums are set plan by plan.
• Annual (Open) Enrollment for 2027 runs October 15 – December 7, 2026, with changes effective January 1, 2027.
• Social Security announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment for benefits payable beginning January 2027.
• The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, had not been announced at the time of writing. CMS typically releases these in the fall.

A note for people with Medicaid or Extra Help

Since 2025, if you have Medicaid or qualify for Extra Help, you have a monthly Special Enrollment Period that lets you move to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan, or switch stand-alone Part D plans. Full-benefit dual-eligible individuals can also join an integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) in any month.

Where to get personalized help

For official, up-to-date information — including the current list of covered preventive services, frequency limits, and plan details in your area — visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.