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Does Medicare Cover CT Scans?
Reviewed by John Krahnert
Medicare typically covers medically-necessary CT scans. Medicare Advantage plans may also cover CT scans and include an annual out-of-pocket spending limit, which Original Medicare doesn’t offer.
Yes, Medicare typically does cover CT scans and some other diagnostic tests that are ordered by a doctor in order to diagnose and treat a medical condition.
Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans can also cover CT scans that are deemed medically necessary by your doctor, and they also include an annual out-of-pocket spending limit.
Original Medicare does not include an out-of-pocket spending limit.
How does Medicare pay for CT scans?
Medicare Part B medical insurance typically covers diagnostic tests, like CT scans, that help diagnose and prevent illnesses and other serious conditions.
CT Scans may be ordered by your doctor in order to visualize the inside of your body to check for serious conditions.
Depending on where you undergo your CT scan, Medicare Part A or Part B may cover some of your costs:
- Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) typically covers the hospital and inpatient care costs related to a hospital stay (if you are treated and scanned as an inpatient)
- Medicare Part B (medical insurance) typically covers the costs of doctor’s services related to the CT scan.
Original Medicare may also cover other diagnostic tests such as an MRI, an X-ray, an EKG or ECG and more.
How much does a CT scan cost with Medicare?
You typically pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for a CT scan in your doctor’s office or another testing facility, after you meet your Part B deductible for the year.
In 2024, the Part B deductible is $240 per year.
You typically pay a copay (a flat fee) if your diagnostic CT scan is performed in a hospital outpatient setting.
Talk with your doctor for specific cost and coverage information.
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Medicare Advantage plans may also cover CT scans
Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurance companies as an alternative to Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B).
By law, Medicare Advantage plans must cover the same benefits that are offered by Part A and Part B. If your CT Scan is covered by Original Medicare, it will also be covered by a Medicare Advantage plan.
Some Medicare Advantage plans may also offer benefits not found in Original Medicare.
You can learn more about Medicare Advantage plans available near you by calling to speak with a licensed insurance agent.
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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 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.
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Your Medicare guide will arrive in your email inbox shortly. You can also look forward to informative email updates about Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
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