Blood
Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers blood you get as a hospital inpatient.
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers blood you get as a hospital outpatient.
Your costs in Original Medicare
If your provider gets blood from a blood bank at no charge, you won't have to pay for it or replace it. If the provider has to buy blood for you, you must either pay the provider costs for the first 3 units of blood you get in a calendar year, or you or someone else can donate the blood.
To find out how much your test, item, or service will cost, talk to your doctor or health care provider. The specific amount you’ll owe may depend on several things, like:
- Other insurance you may have
- How much your doctor charges
- If your doctor accepts assignment
- The type of facility
- Where you get your test, item, or service
Your doctor or other health care provider may recommend you get services more often than Medicare covers. Or, they may recommend services that Medicare doesn’t cover. If this happens, 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, or how much, Medicare will pay for them.