People With Medicare

Preventive Services

Medicare covers a range of screenings, exams, and other services that help keep you well. These are called preventive services. They can:

  • Tell if you have diabetes or are at risk for it
  • Keep you healthy
  • Prevent severe health problems caused by diabetes
  • Keep you from getting worse if you have diabetes

Medicare Part B pays most of Medicare's preventive services. You pay nothing for several of them. You pay a small portion of the cost for others.    

What preventive services does Medicare cover for people with diabetes?

If you have diabetes, Medicare covers certain services for you. Your doctor must write an order or referral for you to get some of them, including:

  • Tests to see if you have diabetes, called diabetes screening
  • Training to help you manage your diabetes
  • Advice on what to eat, called medical nutrition therapy services
  • Blood sugar tests, called hemoglobin A1c tests
  • Special eye exams

You do not need an order or referral for these:

In This Section:

Information on this web site was compiled from approved materials of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.