Does Medicare Cover Echocardiogram?

Medicare Part B may cover echocardiograms if they are ordered by a doctor to treat a medical problem.

Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans also typically cover echocardiograms if they are deemed medically necessary by your doctor.

How much does Medicare pay for echocardiograms?

Medicare Part B typically covers 80 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for covered doctor services, such as a medically necessary echocardiogram. You typically pay 20 percent after you meet your Part B deductible.

In 2024, the Part B deductible is $240 per year.

We recommend speaking to your doctor about specific costs related to your echocardiogram. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, check with your plan carrier to learn more about your potential echocardiogram costs.

Will Medicare pay for an EKG?

Echocardiograms and electrocardiograms are both used to detect heart problems and diagnose heart disease.

• Echocardiograms use sound waves to produce images of the heart, which allows your doctor to see whether your heart is beating and pumping blood normally.
  
  
• Electrocardiograms (also referred to as EKGs or ECGs) record electrical signals in your heart, which can help your doctor see if you have any abnormal heart rhythms.

Electrocardiograms and echocardiograms may both be covered by Medicare more often when your doctor uses them as a diagnostic test.

Does Medicare cover heart medications?

Some heart problems, including cardiovascular disease, may require prescription medications to help treat or manage your condition.

Most prescription drugs are not covered by Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B).

This means that if you have Original Medicare only and don’t have a form of creditable drug coverage, you may be responsible for 100 percent of the costs related to your heart medications.

Medicare Advantage plans may cover other benefits

Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurers as an alternative to Original Medicare.

By law, every Medicare Advantage plan must provide the same hospital and medical benefits as Medicare Part A and Part B. This means if your echocardiogram is covered by Original Medicare, it is also covered by your Medicare Advantage plan.

In addition to the standard Part A and Part B benefits, Medicare Advantage plans may cover benefits not found in Original Medicare. A Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plan includes Part D prescription drug coverage and may cover medications used to treat heart problems. 

A licensed insurance agent can help you compare Medicare Advantage plans available where you live. 

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

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.

 

 

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