What is Part B?

Part B helps cover medically necessary services like doctors' services, outpatient care, durable medical equipment, home health services, and other medical services. Part B also covers some preventive services.

In General, Part B Covers:

• Clinical research
• Ambulance services
• Durable medical equipment
• Mental health
  • Inpatient
  • Outpatient
  • Partial hospitalization
• Getting a second opinion before surgery
• Limited outpatient prescription drugs

Part B Covers Two Types of Services

1. Medically necessary services: Services or supplies that are needed to diagnose or treat your medical condition and that meet accepted standards of medical practice.
2. Preventive services: Health care to prevent illness (like the flu) or detect it at an early stage, when treatment is most likely to work best. You pay nothing for most preventive services if you get the services from a health care provider who accepts assignment.

Medicare covers services (like lab tests, surgeries, and doctor visits) and supplies (like wheelchairs and walkers) considered medically necessary to treat a disease or condition.

If you're in a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare plan, you may have different rules, but your plan must give you at least the same coverage as Original Medicare. Some services may only be covered in certain settings or for patients with certain conditions.

Medicare Coverage is Based on Three Main Factors

1. Federal and state laws.
2. National coverage decisions made by Medicare about whether something are covered.
3. Local coverage decisions made by companies in each state that process claims for Medicare. These companies decide whether something is medically necessary and should be covered in their area.

Two Ways to Find Out If Medicare Covers What You Need

1. Talk to your doctor or other health care provider about why you need certain services or supplies, and ask if Medicare will cover them. If you need something that is usually covered and your provider thinks that Medicare will not cover it in your situation, you will have to read and sign a notice saying that you may have to pay for the item, service, or supply.
2. Find out if Medicare covers your item, service, or supply.

If you have questions about Medicaid, you can call your State Medicaid office for more information.

Visit www.medicare.gov/contacts or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to get the telephone number. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.