Coverage
Does Medicare Cover Hep C Testing?
- January 12, 2024
- Reviewed by John Krahnert
Medicare typically does cover Hepatitis C testing one time if you have risk factors that put you at a high risk for getting Hepatitis C.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans may also cover Hep C testing that meets eligible criteria and is ordered by a doctor.
How does Medicare cover Hepatitis screenings?
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that can lead to serious liver damage if untreated. Medicare Part B may cover one-time Hep C testing for patients who are at high risk of contracting the virus.
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You are considered high risk if you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- You use or have used illicit injected drugs
- You had a blood transfusion earlier than 1992
- You were born between 1945-1965
If you are considered at risk for Hep C, Medicare Part B will also cover yearly screenings to check on your health compared to your initial Hep C test.
Medicare Part B may also cover Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) screening if you’re at high risk for HBV or if you’re pregnant.
How much does a Hep C test cost with Medicare?
If Medicare covers your Hep C test – and if you visit a health care provider who accepts Medicare assignment – you pay nothing for your Hepatitis C screening. If a doctor accepts Medicare assignment, it means they accept Medicare reimbursement as full payment for their services.
Speak with your doctor for direct cost and coverage information.
Medicare Advantage and Hep C testing
Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurance companies as an alternative to Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans are required to offer the same benefits as Original Medicare.
This means that if your Hep C test is covered by Original Medicare, it will also be covered by a Medicare Advantage plan.
Some plans may also offer benefits not found in Original Medicare.
To learn more about how a Medicare Advantage plan may cover your Hep C testing and to find plans in your area, call to speak with a licensed insurance agent and find out if you’re eligible to enroll today.
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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.
