Pain management
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) helps pay for these services that may help you manage your pain and related issues:
- Acupuncture for chronic low back pain
- Alcohol misuse screenings & counseling
- Behavioral health integration services
- Chiropractic services
- Chronic pain management and treatment services
- Depression screenings
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
Medicare drug coverage (Part D) helps pay for:
- Medication Therapy Management programs for complex health needs.
- Opioid pain medication. Prescription opioids, like hydrocodone (Vicodin®), oxycodone (OxyContin®), morphine, codeine, and fentanyl can be used to help relieve severe pain. Some Medicare plans have certain coverage rules to help you use opioids safely. Get more information on drug plan coverage rules.
Your costs in Original Medicare
- For most pain management services, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for visits to your doctor or other health care provider to diagnose or treat your condition. The Part B deductible applies.
- If you get your services in a hospital outpatient clinic or hospital outpatient department, you may have to pay an additional copayment or coinsurance amount to the hospital.
- You pay nothing for a yearly depression screening if your doctor or health care provider accepts assignment.
What it is
There are many ways to manage pain safely and effectively. While prescription pain medications covered under Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) may be effective at treating certain types of pain, especially during short-term use, you might be able to take other medications or do other things to help effectively manage your pain with less risk long term. Talk with your doctor about all your pain treatment options.
Things to know
There may be other ways to manage your pain. Your doctor may recommend treatment options that Medicare doesn’t cover, like massage therapy.
If this happens, or if your doctor or other health care provider recommends you get services more often than Medicare covers, you may have to pay some or all of the costs. Ask questions so you understand why your doctor is recommending certain services and if Medicare will pay for them.