Coverage
Does Medicare Cover Wigs for Cancer Patients?
- January 12, 2024
- Reviewed by John Krahnert
Original Medicare typically does not cover wigs for cancer patients because they are not considered medically necessary, even if hair loss is solely a result of cancer treatment.
Some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans may provide coverage for some services and items not covered by Original Medicare.
Is cancer treatment covered by Medicare?
If you have cancer and you’re a hospital inpatient, Medicare Part A will typically cover your chemotherapy.
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If you receive outpatient treatment in a hospital, doctor’s office or a clinic, Part B will typically cover your chemotherapy sessions.
One of the most common side effects from chemotherapy and radiation therapy in cancer patients is hair loss. A wig may make beneficiaries more comfortable throughout their cancer treatment.
Medicare Part A and Part B do not, however, typically cover wigs.
Medicare Advantage plans may cover benefits not found in Original Medicare
Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurance companies as an alternative to Original Medicare.
Every Medicare Advantage plan must cover everything that Part A and Part B covers. This means that your cancer treatments that would be covered by Original Medicare would also be covered by a Medicare Advantage plan.
Check with your plan carrier to learn more about your plan benefits and coverage. A licensed insurance agent can help you compare Medicare Advantage plans that are available in your area and the coverage they provide.
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About the author
Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.
Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.
Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.
Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.
A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.
