Medicare Preventive Services in 2026: What You Need to Know

Medicare Preventive Services in 2026: What You Need to Know

In 2026, Medicare preventive services remain a cornerstone of U.S. health care for older adults and eligible people with disabilities. These services — designed to keep beneficiaries healthy, detect diseases early, and lower long-term health risks — continue to be covered under Medicare with minimal or no out-of-pocket cost when properly delivered by a provider who accepts Medicare assignment.

With rising premiums and deductibles for Medicare Part B in 2026, maximizing these benefits is especially important.

 

What Are Preventive Services?

Medicare preventive services include a wide range of screenings, immunizations, counseling, and wellness visits aimed at:

• Finding health problems early when treatment works best

• Preventing disease or complications before they start

• Helping beneficiaries understand and manage their health risks

These services are generally covered under Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance).

When received from a participating provider who accepts assignment, most preventive services are covered with no deductible or coinsurance.

 

Core Preventive Services Covered in 2026

​Here’s what Original Medicare typically covers as preventive or screening services — with many offered at no cost when billed correctly:

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🩺 Wellness Visits and Health Planning

• Welcome to Medicare preventive visit: A one-time comprehensive assessment for new beneficiaries

• Annual Wellness Visit: A yearly check-in to develop or update a personalized prevention plan

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💉 Vaccines and Immunizations

• Flu shots (seasonal)

• COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

• Pneumococcal vaccines

• Hepatitis B shots (for those at medium or high risk)
  Most of these are covered with no cost-sharing when given by a Medicare-participating provider.

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🔬 Cancer Screenings

• Mammograms (annual for women; frequency depends on age/risk)

• Colorectal cancer screenings (including colonoscopy and stool-based tests)

• Prostate cancer screenings
  These screenings help catch tumors and polyps before they progress.

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❤️ Cardiovascular and Metabolic Checks

• Heart disease and stroke risk assessments

• Blood pressure, cholesterol and lipid panels

• Diabetes screening and self-management training

• Obesity screening and behavioral therapy
  These services help monitor key risk factors for chronic disease.

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🧠 Mental Health and Behavioral Counselling

• Depression screening

• Alcohol misuse screening and counseling

• Tobacco cessation counseling
  These services support holistic health and disease prevention.

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🔎 Other Key Screenings

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening

• Glaucoma screening

• HIV and Hepatitis C screenings

• Sexually transmitted infection (STI) counseling
  Coverage may vary by risk factors and frequency.

 

Costs and Rules in 2026

Cost-sharing:

• Most preventive services are covered at 100% when billed as preventive and delivered by a provider who accepts Medicare assignment.

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• If a service is billed as diagnostic (for a symptom or specific complaint), cost-sharing may apply.

 

Part B Premiums & Deductibles:
While preventive services are often free, Medicare Part B premiums and the annual deductible did increase in 2026, making it even more valuable to take advantage of preventive benefits:

• Part B monthly premium increased to about $202.90.

 

Why Preventive Services Matter More in 2026

With healthcare costs rising and more older adults enrolled in Medicare than ever, early detection and prevention can reduce costly treatments later. Routine screenings — particularly for cancer and chronic diseases — can lead to earlier, more effective care with better outcomes.

Healthcare providers are also emphasizing personalized prevention plans during Annual Wellness Visits, tailoring care to your specific risks and lifestyle.

 

Limits and Services Not Covered

Original Medicare does not cover:

• Routine annual physical check-ups unrelated to specific preventive benefits

• Most dental, vision, and hearing services (except select screenings)

• Preventive services not recommended by evidence-based guidelines

• Care received outside the United States

 

Private Medicare Advantage plans may offer additional preventive benefits, but coverage can vary by plan. Always review your plan documents to understand your benefits.

 

Tips to Maximize Your Benefits in 2026

✔ Schedule your Annual Wellness Visit to plan preventive care and catch issues early
✔ Keep up with age- and risk-based screenings (cancer, heart disease, diabetes)
✔ Stay current with vaccines — especially flu and COVID-19
✔ Ask your doctor how services are billed to ensure zero cost-sharing

Preventive care can help you stay healthier longer — and in 2026, understanding and using these services fully has never been more important.