One of the most underused benefits in all of Medicare: the dozens of free preventive services covered under Part B. These screenings, vaccines, and counseling sessions cost you absolutely nothing — no copay, no coinsurance, no deductible — when performed by a Medicare-accepting provider.
Yet studies consistently show that fewer than 20% of eligible Medicare beneficiaries receive all the preventive services recommended for their age and risk profile. This guide lists everything available and how to access it.
Preventive services are free only when billed correctly as preventive. If your doctor finds a problem during a preventive visit and addresses it, that portion may be billed as a separate diagnostic service — which does have cost-sharing. Always ask your doctor how services will be billed before your appointment.
The Annual Wellness Visit — Your Command Center
The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) is free once per year and is the most important preventive benefit most seniors never schedule. It is NOT the same as a physical exam — it's a health planning session that includes a review of your current health status, medications, and risk factors, a personalized prevention plan, cognitive assessment, depression screening, fall risk assessment, vital signs review, and referrals for all recommended screenings.
To schedule your AWV, call your doctor's office and ask specifically for a "Medicare Annual Wellness Visit." This language matters — it ensures it's billed correctly as free.
Free Screenings Covered by Medicare Part B
Cardiovascular
- Blood pressure screening: Free, as often as needed
- Cardiovascular disease risk reduction visit: Once per year for people at high risk
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) ultrasound: Once, for men 65–75 who have smoked
Cancer Screenings
- Colorectal cancer screening: Colonoscopy every 10 years (or every 2 years for high risk), or annual stool tests — free regardless of result
- Mammogram: Once every 12 months for women 40+
- Cervical and vaginal cancer screening (Pap smear): Every 24 months, or every 12 months for high-risk women
- Lung cancer screening (low-dose CT): Annually for adults 50–77 who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years (20+ pack-year history)
- Prostate cancer info: Medicare covers a free PSA test annually for men 50+
Bone and Joint
- Bone density scan (DEXA): Every 24 months for women at risk for osteoporosis (postmenopausal women, women with certain risk factors)
Diabetes
- Diabetes screening: Up to 2 free blood glucose tests per year for people with risk factors (obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, family history)
- Diabetes self-management training: Free program for people newly diagnosed with diabetes
- Diabetic retinopathy exam: Annually for people with diabetes
- Medical nutrition therapy: For people with diabetes or kidney disease
Mental Health
- Depression screening: Once per year
- Alcohol misuse screening and counseling: Annually if you drink
- Cognitive impairment (dementia) screening: Free as part of Annual Wellness Visit
Free Vaccines Through Medicare Part B and D
- Flu shot: Every flu season — free
- COVID-19 vaccine and boosters: Free
- Pneumococcal vaccines (Prevnar 20 or Pneumovax 23): Recommended series — free
- Hepatitis B vaccine: Free for people at medium or high risk
- Shingrix (shingles vaccine): Covered under Part D drug plans, not Part B — your copay depends on your plan. Many Part D plans cover it at low or no cost. Critical: shingles is extremely painful and common in seniors over 60.
- RSV vaccine: Newly recommended for adults 60+ — covered under Part B
- Tdap/Td (tetanus/pertussis): Covered under Part D
Other Free Services
- Welcome to Medicare preventive visit: One-time visit in your first 12 months of Part B coverage — includes a thorough health review, baseline measurements, and a full prevention plan
- Obesity screening and counseling: Free for people with BMI ≥ 30, up to 22 sessions in a year
- Smoking cessation counseling: Up to 8 free sessions per year
- STI screening and counseling: Free if at increased risk
- Schedule your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit NOW if you haven't had one this year
- Ask your doctor which cancer screenings you're due for based on your age and risk factors
- Get your flu and pneumococcal vaccines — they prevent hospitalizations that cost you thousands
- Ask your Part D plan about Shingrix coverage and your copay
- If you smoke or recently quit, ask about free lung cancer screening
- Always confirm with your doctor's office that services will be billed as preventive (free)
Frequently Asked Questions
What preventive services does Medicare cover for free?
Medicare Part B covers dozens of preventive services at $0 cost including annual wellness visits, colonoscopies, mammograms, bone density scans, lung cancer screening, flu and COVID-19 vaccines, pneumococcal vaccines, depression screening, diabetes screening, obesity counseling, and smoking cessation counseling.
Is the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit free?
Yes — the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is completely free once per year with no copay or coinsurance. It is not a physical exam but a comprehensive health planning session that includes cognitive screening, fall risk assessment, depression screening, medication review, and a personalized prevention plan.
Does Medicare cover colonoscopy for free?
Yes — Medicare Part B covers colonoscopy screenings at $0 cost for average-risk adults every 10 years or every 2 years for high-risk individuals. If a polyp is found and removed during the screening colonoscopy, Medicare may apply standard cost-sharing — ask your doctor before the procedure.
What vaccines does Medicare cover for free?
Medicare covers flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, pneumococcal vaccines (Prevnar 20 or Pneumovax 23), RSV vaccine for adults 60+, and hepatitis B vaccine for medium or high-risk individuals — all at $0. The shingles vaccine (Shingrix) is covered under Part D with varying copays.
How do I access my free Medicare preventive benefits?
Call your doctor's office and specifically request a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit — use those exact words so it is billed correctly as a free preventive service. Ask your doctor which cancer screenings you are due for based on your age and risk factors. For vaccines, visit any Medicare-participating pharmacy.