These FAQs provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Medicare. For additional information, please visit the Medicare Education page. If you don’t find an answer to your question here, feel free to contact us.

Frequently asked questions

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Answering Medicare Related Questions

  • How old do you have to be to get Medicare?

    1. Medicare is available for people age 65 or older, younger people with disabilities and people with End Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant).
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  • How long do you have to be on disability to qualify for Medicare benefits?

    1. You must receive disability benefits for 24 months.  The exception is if you have Lou Gehrig’s disease, in which case your benefits will begin the first month you receive disability benefits.
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  • Does Medicare pay for hearing aids?

    1. Medicare doesn’t cover hearing aids or exams for fitting hearing aids. However, many Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage for hearing aids and fitting exams.
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  • Does Medicare pay for cataract surgery?

    1. Medicare covers cataract surgery if it’s done using traditional surgical techniques or using lasers.
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  • Does Medicare pay for eye exams?

    1. Normally, no.  Eye exams are generally not covered by original Medicare (with the exception of diabetic retinopathy once a year).  Many Medicare Advantage plans do provide coverage for exams, glasses, and contacts.
    2. Source1, Source2

  • Does Medicare pay for contacts or glasses?

    1. Medicare does not usually cover eyeglasses or contact lenses.  However, Medicare Part B helps pay for corrective lenses if you have cataract surgery to implant an intraocular lens. Corrective lenses include one pair of eyeglasses with standard frames or one set of contact lenses.  Many Medicare Advantage plans do provide coverage for glasses and contacts, as well as eye exams.
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for nursing home care?

    1. Medicare doesn’t cover custodial care, if it’s the only care you need. Most nursing home care is custodial care. Custodial care helps you with activities of daily living (like bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, and eating) or personal needs that could be done safely and reasonably without professional skills or training. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) may cover care in a certified skilled nursing facility (SNF). It must be medically necessary for you to have skilled nursing care (like changing sterile dressings).
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for assisted living / home health care / long-term care?

    1. Medicare doesn’t cover long-term care (also called custodial care), if that’s the only care you need. Most nursing home care is custodial care.
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for shingles shot?

    1. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) or Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) doesn’t cover the shingles shot.  Generally, Medicare prescription drug plans (Part D) cover all commercially available vaccines (like the shingles shot) needed to prevent illness. Contact your Medicare drug plan for more information about coverage.
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for gym memberships or fitness programs?

    1. Original Medicare doesn’t cover gym memberships or fitness programs.
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  • Does Medicare pay for chiropractors?

    1. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers manual manipulation of the spine if medically necessary to correct a subluxation when provided by a chiropractor or other qualified provider.  Medicare doesn’t cover other services or tests ordered by a chiropractor, including X-rays, massage therapy, and acupuncture..
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  • Does Medicare pay for dentures or dental implants?

    1. Medicare doesn’t cover most dental care, dental procedures, or supplies, like cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, dental plates, or other dental devices. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) will pay for certain dental services that you get when you’re in a hospital. Part A can pay for inpatient hospital care if you need to have emergency or complicated dental procedures, even though the dental care isn’t covered. Inpatient care includes treatment you get in an acute care hospital, critical access hospital, inpatient rehabilitation facility, long-term care hospital, inpatient care as part of a qualifying research study, and mental health care.
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for wheelchairs or walkers?

    1. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)covers power-operated vehicles (scooters) and manual wheelchairs as durable medical equipment (DME) that your doctor prescribes for use in your home.  You must have a face-to-face examination and a written prescription from a doctor or other treating provider before Medicare helps pay for a power wheelchair. Power wheelchairs are covered only when they’re medically necessary.
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for insulin?

    1. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) doesn’t cover these:
      1. Insulin (unless use of an insulin pump is medically necessary )
      2. Insulin pens
      3. Syringes
      4. Needles
      5. Alcohol swabs
      6. Gauze
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for Lancet devices & lancets?

    1. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers lancet devices and lancets as supplies used with durable medical equipment (DME) if you have diabetes.
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for cancer treatment / chemotherapy?

    1. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers chemotherapy if you have cancer, and you’re a hospital inpatient. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers chemotherapy if you’re a hospital outpatient or a patient in a doctor’s office or freestanding clinic.
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for mammograms?

    1. Medicare Part B covers:
      1. One baseline mammogram if you’re a woman between ages 35-39.
      2. Screening mammograms once every 12 months if you’re a woman age 40 or older.
      3. Diagnostic mammograms more frequently than once a year, if medically necessary.
    2. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for dialysis?

    1. Medicare covers many kidney dialysis services and supplies if you have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), including:
      1. Inpatient dialysis treatments (if you’re admitted to a hospital for special care)
      2. Outpatient dialysis treatments (in a Medicare-approved dialysis facility) & outpatient doctor’s services
      3. Home-dialysis training (includes instruction for you and the person helping you with your home dialysis treatments)
      4. Home dialysis equipment & supplies (like the dialysis machine, water treatment system, basic recliner, alcohol, wipes, sterile drapes, rubber gloves, and scissors)
      5. Certain home support services (may include visits by trained hospital or dialysis facility workers to check on your home dialysis, to help in emergencies when needed, and to check your dialysis equipment and water supply; may include a face-to-face visit between you and your doctor (or certain non-doctors like physician assistants and nurse practitioners) once a month)
      6. Most injectable drugs and their oral forms for outpatient or home dialysis (like an erythropoiesis stimulating agent to treat anemia)
      7. Other services and supplies that are part of dialysis (like laboratory tests)
      8. Dialysis when you travel in the U.S. (in a Medicare-approved facility)
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  • Does Medicare pay for bone density testing?

    1. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers this test once every 24 months (or more often if medically necessary) if you meet one of more of these conditions:
      1. You’re a woman whose doctor determines you’re estrogen deficient and at risk for osteoporosis, based on your medical history and other findings.
      2. Your X-rays show possible osteoporosis, osteopenia, or vertebral fractures.
      3. You’re taking prednisone or steroid-type drugs or are planning to begin this treatment.
      4. You’ve been diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism.
    2. You’re being monitored to see if your osteoporosis drug therapy is working.
    3. Source

  • Does Medicare pay for bloodwork?

    1. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers medically necessary clinical diagnostic laboratory services when your doctor or practitioner orders them.
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  • Does Medicare pay for colonoscopies?

    1. Medicare covers screening colonoscopies once every 24 months if you’re at high risk for colorectal cancer. If you aren’t at high risk for colorectal cancer, Medicare covers the test once every 120 months, or 48 months after a previous flexible sigmoidoscopy. There’s no minimum age requirement.
    2. Source

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