Does Medicare Cover Heart Disease Treatment?

Medicare helps cover many of the costs associated with detecting, diagnosing and treating heart disease. This includes coverage for cardiovascular disease screenings and behavioral therapy to reduce your risk, as well as help with payments for certain heart disease treatments.

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Written by
Terry Turner
Terry Turner
Senior Financial Writer and Financial Wellness Facilitator
Terry Turner has more than 35 years of journalism experience, including covering benefits, spending and congressional action on federal programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He is a Certified Financial Wellness Facilitator through the National Wellness Institute and the Foundation for Financial Wellness and a member of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE®).
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Edited By
Matt Mauney
Matt Mauney
Financial Editor
Matt Mauney is an award-winning journalist, editor, writer and content strategist with more than 15 years of professional experience working for nationally recognized newspapers and digital brands. He has contributed content for ChicagoTribune.com, LATimes.com, The Hill and the American Cancer Society, and he was part of the Orlando Sentinel digital staff that was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2017.
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Reviewed By
Christian Worstell
Christian Worstell
Medicare Expert
Christian Worstell is a licensed health insurance agent and an established writer in the sector, with articles featured in Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and more. His work has positively impacted beneficiaries nationwide and empowers them to make strong health care decisions.
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Published: April 9, 2021
Updated: May 26, 2023
5 min read time
This page features 6 Cited Research Articles

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Does Medicare Cover Heart Disease Treatment and Prevention?

Original Medicare — Medicare Part A and Part B — helps cover the costs of preventing, detecting and treating heart disease and other types of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

When doctors use the term “heart disease,” they are generally referring to coronary heart disease, but most people use the term as a catch-all phrase for other types of CVD including coronary heart disease, stroke, heart defects from birth and peripheral artery disease.

Heart Disease and Other CVD-Related Costs Medicare Helps To Cover

Heart and cardiovascular disease screening
Behavioral therapy
Cardiac rehabilitation (an exercise program for those with heart disease)
Certain medications
Diagnostic tests
Doctor visits
Open-heart surgery

Original Medicare covers the full cost of CVD screenings and Medicare-approved cardiovascular behavioral therapy. If you receive these services from a health care provider that accepts Medicare and charges the Medicare-approved costs, you will not owe anything out of pocket.

For other diagnostic tests, medications and heart disease treatments, you can expect to have out-of-pocket expenses.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among older adults, so it’s important to understand the Medicare detection and treatment benefits for this disease.

— Christian Worstell, licensed Medicare insurance agent

What Each Part of Medicare Covers

Each part of Medicare covers different costs associated with heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.

Services and Items Each Medicare Part Covers

Medicare Part A hospital insurance: Medicare Part A covers hospitalization costs for up to 60 days once your deductible is met. You are responsible for your deductible plus any coinsurance costs if you are hospitalized beyond 60 days. Services covered include a semi-private room, meals and medications you take in the hospital.
Medicare Part B medical insurance: Medicare Part B covers 80 percent of the costs of non-hospital medical services, tests and items. You are usually responsible for 20 percent of the costs after you meet your deductible. Coverage includes the following:

Visits to your primary care doctor

Visits to your cardiologist

Cardiac rehabilitation programs

Diagnostic tests such as stress tests, MRIs, CT scans or electrocardiograms (EKGs)

Heart disease screenings
Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C): Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurers that contract with Medicare. The plans are required by law to cover everything covered under Original Medicare — Medicare Part A and Part B. Medicare Advantage plans may also cover a portion of your costs for medicines used to treat heart disease and other types of CVD. Your out-of-pocket costs will vary depending on your exact plan and where you live. You may also pay more if you use doctors, hospitals and other providers who are not in your Medicare Advantage plan network. You should contact your plan administrator to find out exactly what your coverage includes.
Medicare Part D prescription drug plans: Medicare Part D drug plans are sold by private insurers. These plans can help you pay for medications needed to treat heart disease or other types of CVD. You will need to check your plan’s formulary, the list of all prescription drugs covered by the plan, to find out if the medicines you are prescribed are included.
Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans: Medigap plans are supplemental insurance policies sold by private companies. Depending on the policy, the plans may pay a portion of your out-of-pocket costs under Medicare Part A and Part B.

Heart Disease Tests and Therapies That Medicare Covers

Original Medicare covers the full cost of two types of cardiovascular disease screenings. It also fully covers the cost of behavioral therapy that can help prevent heart disease or other types of CVD.

One type of screening covered by Original Medicare is a cardiovascular disease blood test that checks for conditions that could cause a heart attack or stroke. Medicare also covers an ultrasound test for those at risk of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a condition in which the main artery carrying blood to your legs balloons out.

Medicare-Covered Heart and CVD Screening Tests

Cardiovascular disease screenings: Medicare Part B medical insurance covers the full cost of a CVD blood test once every five years. The test measures the following levels:

Cholesterol — a waxy substance found in cells that is needed to make vitamin D, hormones and other substances that help you digest food

Lipids — fatty acids that include natural oils, waxes and steroids

Triglycerides — a type of fat your body stores for later use
Abdominal aortic aneurysm screenings: Medicare Part B covers a one-time ultrasound screening if you are at risk for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. You must meet the following conditions in order to be eligible for the screening:

You have a family history of abdominal aortic aneurysms

You are a man who is 65 to 75 years old and have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your lifetime

Medicare will cover the cost of an abdominal aortic aneurysm screening only if your doctor refers you for the screening after determining you are at risk.

Medicare Coverage of Cardiovascular Behavioral Therapy

Medicare pays for a cardiovascular behavioral therapy session once each year. This session is usually done during a visit with your primary care doctor or another qualified health care professional.

The purpose of the visit is to learn about behaviors that increase your risk for heart disease or other types of CVD and to attempt to change those behaviors to reduce your risk.

Included in Cardiovascular Behavioral Therapy

Checking your blood pressure
Discussing the use of aspirin to reduce your risk (if appropriate for your condition)
Counseling you on improved diet and nutrition to lower your risk

You will have no out-of-pocket expenses for these sessions as long as your doctor or health care provider accepts the Medicare-approved prices for these services.

Last Modified: May 26, 2023