Yes, Medicare Part B covers cognitive decline screening at an Annual Wellness Visit, a yearly prevention-planning appointment. The visit includes a cognitive assessment that looks for signs of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services lists this assessment as part of the covered wellness benefit on its yearly wellness visits page. The benefit is for eligible beneficiaries.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Official resources:
- Register through Medicare’s official page — Use this page to review requirements and register directly.
- Check eligibility on Medicare’s official study page — Use this page to check the study’s participation requirements.
Table of Contents
- What does the screening check?
- How often can you get it?
- What does it cost?
- What happens if the screening raises concern?
What does the screening check?
The check is brief and conversation-based. It looks for everyday thinking problems that can signal early decline.
A family member can share observed changes before the visit. The clinician then decides whether closer review is needed.
- trouble remembering recent events or appointments
- trouble learning new things
- trouble concentrating on tasks
- trouble managing finances
- trouble making everyday decisions
How often can you get it?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services explains the timing rule on its yearly wellness visits page. You can get one Wellness visit every 12 months.
Your first one cannot occur within 12 months after Part B enrollment or a Welcome to Medicare preventive visit. Track the date of your last Wellness visit. Ask the office to confirm that 12 full months have passed before you book.
What does it cost?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services states the price rule on its yearly wellness visits page. The screening itself costs nothing when the provider accepts assignment. The Part B deductible does not apply.
The Wellness visit plans prevention; it is not a routine physical exam. Extra tests or services during the same visit can trigger coinsurance, a deductible charge, or full payment when Medicare does not cover them. Ask what each added item will cost before you agree.
What happens if the screening raises concern?
If the provider suspects cognitive impairment, Medicare covers a separate visit for a more thorough cognitive review. That review checks for dementia, depression, anxiety, or delirium. The follow-up visit establishes or confirms a diagnosis and builds a care plan. The plan covers medication review, supports, referrals, and community resources.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services describes these services on its cognitive assessment and care plan page. That follow-up visit is not free like the screening. After you meet the Part B deductible, you pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount. Ask the clinic for the expected charge before you schedule that follow-up.
