Can Medicare Insurance Help Me Stop Smoking?

Smoking is an incredibly common but unhealthy habit that can harm nearly every organ in the
body. Not only can it cause lung cancer and increase your chances of breaking bones and
developing Alzheimer’s Disease, but it can also contribute to premature aging and empty your
wallet. While the best way to avoid these health risks is to never start smoking to begin with,
quitting can help protect you if you are already a smoker. And the good news is, you don’t have
to try quitting smoking on your own!

The issue with cigarettes and other forms of tobacco is that they contain a highly addictive
substance (nicotine), which makes it difficult to quit once you’ve made smoking a habit. Luckily,
there are plenty of programs and groups set up to assist smokers with quitting. Many times,
though, these programs aren’t free, which can push some to go it alone. Some succeed at this,
many don’t. If you’re a Medicare insurance beneficiary, your plan may be able to help you afford
smoking cessation programs!

Smoking Cessation Counseling

Under Medicare Part B, you can receive coverage for counseling for smoking prevention
and cessation. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you can also receive coverage for this
counseling, as Medicare Advantage must match at least what Original Medicare covers. Primarily,
the service is for people who wish to quit smoking or prevent themselves from starting up again
after they have quit. This can entail in-person counseling, groups, or even national quitlines. If you
decide to give cessation counseling a try, how much will you be paying?
Well, you’re in luck. Unlike other mental health services covered by Medicare insurance,
smoking cessation treatment is covered entirely by Medicare insurance, under the correct
circumstances. That means no copays, no coinsurances, and nothing applied to the
deductible. To receive this coverage, however, the treatment must be given by a qualified doctor
or Medicare insurance-recognized provider. The provider must also accept Medicare assignment.

The Medicare program will cover eight counseling sessions in a 12-month period. This should
allow for nearly monthly sessions as you work with a medical professional to stop smoking or
stay tobacco-free.

What’s Not Covered?

Generally speaking, Medicare Part D won’t cover over-the-counter treatments for tobacco
cessation, though you should always consult your own plan for specifics of what is covered for
you. This includes common options like nicotine patches or gum, which replace the nicotine
you would get from cigarettes to limit your cravings. Depending on your plan, you may receive
coverage for prescription medication for tobacco cessation, but this depends entirely on your
specific formulary.

Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but it can be worth the effort. With all of the ways that smoking can
harm your body, quitting just makes sense. In acknowledgement of how difficult (but important)
quitting is, Medicare insurance not only assists with programs that help you, it outright makes
it no-cost for you, providing you get treatment in the right setting. If you’re debating tobacco
cessation (and you should!), you don’t have to go it alone.

Read More: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/counseling-to-prevent-tobacco-usetobacco-
caused-disease
Not affiliated or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.