Cervical and Vaginal Cancer Screening

What it is:

Cervical and vaginal cancers are cancers of the womb and birth canal. To check for these, your doctor will do a pelvic exam and look inside your cervix. He or she also will also take some cells from your cervix for a Pap test.

Why screening is important:

Regular pelvic exams and Pap tests help prevent these cancers. Your doctor can find abnormal changes in the cervix and vagina and treat you before cancer develops. Women who do not regularly have Pap tests have an increased risk of cervical cancer.

Who is covered:

All women with Medicare are covered for this screening.

How often it’s covered:

The screening is generally covered once every 24 months. However, it is covered once every 12 months if you are at high risk of cervical or vaginal cancer OR if you are of childbearing age and have had an abnormal Pap test within the past 36 months. Ask your doctor how to get this screening.

What you pay:

You pay nothing for the Pap lab test. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved cost for Pap test collection, pelvic and breast exams – with no Part B deductible.

Learn more about cervical and vaginal cancer screening on Medicare.gov.

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