Medicare has numerous types of plans with different coverages and services. Medicare Part B is optional coverage for individuals, which covers outpatient/medical care and includes two types of services:
- Medically Necessary Services
- Preventative Services
Medically Necessary Services
According to Healthcare.gov, medically necessary means “health care services or supplies needed to diagnose or treat an illness, injury, condition, disease or its symptoms and that meet accepted standards of medicine.”1
Some medically necessary services include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Provider services from a licensed health professional
- Laboratory services
- Diabetes supplies
- Physical exams
- Physical therapy
- Home health services
- Ambulance services
Preventative Services
According to Healthcare.gov, preventative services means “routine health care that includes screenings, check-ups, and patient counseling to prevent illnesses, disease, or other health problems.”2
Some preventative services include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Routine check-ups
- Flu shots
- Cancer screenings
- Diabetes screenings
- Cardiovascular screenings
For more information on Medicare plans, see the following resources:
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
- Medicare Part C
- Medicare Part D