Medicare beneficiaries who are diabetic have a number of Medicare coverage options they can consider for the diabetes care they need.
Medicare Part B does cover some diabetes supplies, and coverage typically comes with some coinsurance and/or copays.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans also cover diabetes supplies, and many plans also cover prescription drugs like insulin and other diabetes medicine.
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Yes, Medicare Part B covers some diabetes supplies, including:
Medicare Part B also covers some diabetes services, including:
If you have diabetes, Medicare Advantage plans should cover the same diabetes supplies and services as Original Medicare.
Medicare Advantage plans (sometimes referred to as Medicare Part C) are an alternative to Original Medicare that is sold by private insurers.
Every Medicare Advantage plan must provide the same hospital and medical benefits as Medicare Part A and Part B, and many Medicare Advantage plans may include coverage for prescription drugs that aren’t covered by Original Medicare.
Some Medicare Advantage include additional benefits such as:
Staring in 2019, Medicare Advantage plans may be able to offer even more additional benefits, including home delivered healthy meal options, which could help some beneficiaries with diabetes better manage their health and diet.
Some Medicare Part D prescription drug plans may also cover certain diabetes supplies, insulin and other diabetes medication.
You can compare Part D plans available where you live and enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan online in as little as 10 minutes when you visit MyRxPlans.com.1
A July 2018 study showed that Medicare Advantage plan beneficiaries who have diabetes experienced 52.6 percent lower rate of overall complications than Original Medicare beneficiaries who have diabetes.
Medicare Advantage plan beneficiaries also experienced 5.7 percent lower overall costs for diabetes care than Original Medicare beneficiaries.
You can get help comparing Medicare Advantage plans available in your area and find a plan that fits your unique health care needs.
Speak with a licensed insurance agent
Christian Worstell is a licensed insurance agent and a Senior Staff Writer for MedicareAdvantage.com. He is passionate about helping people navigate the complexities of Medicare and understand their coverage options.
His work has been featured in outlets such as Vox, MSN, and The Washington Post, and he is a frequent contributor to health care and finance blogs.
Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He currently lives in Raleigh, NC.
Where you've seen coverage of Christian's research and reports:
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