If you have moderate-to-very-severe COPD in Georgia, Medicare Part B covers pulmonary rehabilitation, a supervised program of exercise and breathing education.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs The benefit runs up to 36 one-hour sessions, and up to 72 when your Medicare Administrative Contractor approves more, and since 2022 it also covers people with persistent breathing problems after COVID-19. This guide walks through the Georgia Medicare pulmonary rehabilitation benefit: who qualifies, what it costs, how many sessions you can get, and where to find a program across the state.
Does Medicare cover pulmonary rehabilitation in Georgia?
Yes. Coverage rules for pulmonary rehabilitation are uniform federal Medicare rules, so the Georgia Medicare pulmonary rehabilitation benefit is the same benefit a beneficiary would have in any state, delivered through Georgia hospitals and clinics and administered for Part B claims by Palmetto GBA, the Medicare Administrative Contractor for Georgia.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a physician-supervised outpatient program that combines monitored exercise with education on living with chronic lung disease, so you can move more, breathe more easily, and manage flare-ups before they land you in the hospital. Medicare Part B covers the comprehensive program for two groups of beneficiaries.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
The benefit was created by Section 1861(fff) of the Social Security Act, added by Section 144 of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA), with coverage effective January 1, 2010. The conditions of coverage sit in the regulation at 42 CFR 410.47, and National Coverage Determination (NCD) 240.8 governs the national coverage standard.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Who qualifies for pulmonary rehabilitation
Medicare covers pulmonary rehabilitation for two clearly defined groups.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Moderate-to-very-severe COPD. The primary qualifying condition is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) classified as GOLD stage II, III, or IV (moderate, severe, or very severe), when the physician treating your chronic respiratory disease refers you. Your physician determines your GOLD stage from spirometry, a standard breathing test that measures how much air you can force out of your lungs. If your COPD is mild (GOLD I), you do not yet meet the Medicare qualifying line; if it is moderate or worse, you likely do.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Persistent post-COVID respiratory symptoms. Since January 1, 2022, Medicare also covers pulmonary rehabilitation for people who have had confirmed or suspected COVID-19 and who have persistent symptoms that include respiratory dysfunction lasting at least four weeks. CMS added this group by revising 42 CFR 410.47 in the Calendar Year 2022 Physician Fee Schedule final rule (86 FR 65244), under the existing Section 1861(fff) authority. This is genuinely new ground: if you were hospitalized or seriously ill with COVID-19 and still have lasting breathing problems, pulmonary rehabilitation may be a covered Medicare benefit for you even without a COPD diagnosis.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Either way, coverage requires a referral from the physician treating your respiratory condition, who documents the diagnosis and the medical need. If you have a different progressive lung disease and are unsure whether it qualifies, ask your pulmonologist and Palmetto GBA directly, since coverage outside these two groups is not part of the national benefit.
How many pulmonary rehab sessions Medicare covers
Do not assume the benefit stops at 36 sessions. Under 42 CFR 410.47, Medicare covers up to two one-hour sessions per day, up to 36 sessions over a period of up to 36 weeks, with the option for up to an additional 36 sessions over an extended period if your Medicare Administrative Contractor approves it, for a lifetime maximum of 72 sessions.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Many people finish 36 sessions and stop without realizing the extension exists. If your physician believes more sessions would keep helping you, ask them to document the medical need and request the additional block through Palmetto GBA. The two-per-day allowance also matters for anyone driving a long way to a program: you can sometimes double up sessions to cut the number of trips.
What pulmonary rehabilitation costs
Medicare does not charge a separate premium for pulmonary rehabilitation; it is covered under Part B, so ordinary Part B cost-sharing applies. After you meet the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the service in a doctor's office. In a hospital outpatient department, where most programs run, you instead pay the hospital a copayment for each session.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. cms.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles,Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
A single session's coinsurance is modest, but across 36 or 72 sessions it adds up, which is why the cost-relief paths matter here. If you have a Medigap policy, it typically covers the Part B coinsurance, often leaving you owing little or nothing per session. If you are dually eligible and qualify as a Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) through Georgia Medicaid, QMB pays your Medicare cost-sharing, so you owe nothing for covered sessions. A Medicare Advantage plan must cover pulmonary rehabilitation too, though it sets its own copay, so confirm the per-session amount with your plan before you start. If you are unsure what you will owe, GeorgiaCares SHIP offers free, unbiased counseling at 1-866-552-4464.Administration for Community Living. (n.d.). Administration for Community Living — State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). acl.gov. Retrieved Jul 30, 2026, from https://acl.gov/programs/connecting-people-services/state-health-insurance-assistance-program-ship
One billing note worth knowing: the older HCPCS code G0424 that once identified pulmonary rehabilitation was retired at the end of 2021 and replaced by CPT codes 94625 and 94626, effective January 1, 2022. You do not need to track codes yourself, but if you see them on a statement, that is the current pair.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Pulmonary rehab vs cardiac rehab
Pulmonary rehabilitation and cardiac rehabilitation are companion Medicare benefits, and beneficiaries with overlapping heart and lung disease sometimes qualify for both. They share the same basic session structure: standard cardiac rehabilitation also runs up to two one-hour sessions per day, up to 36 sessions over up to 36 weeks, with the contractor able to approve additional sessions.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Cardiac rehabilitation programs - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cardiac-rehabilitation-programs The difference is the focus. Pulmonary rehab centers on breathing, lung-disease self-management, and exertional oxygen needs; cardiac rehab centers on cardiovascular recovery after a heart event. If you have both COPD and a qualifying cardiac condition, ask each treating physician whether a referral to the matching program makes sense.
How to start pulmonary rehabilitation in Georgia
Talk with the physician treating your lung condition
Pulmonary rehabilitation requires a referral from the physician managing your chronic respiratory disease, who documents your diagnosis (moderate-to-very-severe COPD or persistent post-COVID respiratory symptoms) and the medical need.
Get the referral written
Ask your pulmonologist or primary-care physician to order comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation. Without a documented qualifying condition and referral, the program cannot bill Medicare.
Find a program near you
Call the pulmonary rehabilitation department at a hospital system in your area and confirm they currently run a program and are accepting referrals. Availability shifts, especially in rural areas, so verify directly.
Check your coverage and cost-sharing
Confirm how your coverage handles it: Original Medicare with or without Medigap, a Medicare Advantage plan, or QMB through Georgia Medicaid. Call GeorgiaCares SHIP at 1-866-552-4464 if you need help understanding what you will owe.Administration for Community Living. (n.d.). Administration for Community Living — State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). acl.gov. Retrieved Jul 30, 2026, from https://acl.gov/programs/connecting-people-services/state-health-insurance-assistance-program-ship
Enroll and plan your schedule
Set a session schedule that fits your stamina and travel, and if distance is a barrier, ask whether you can attend two sessions on the same day.
Where Georgia beneficiaries access pulmonary rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation in Georgia is delivered mostly through hospital-based outpatient programs. Availability changes over time, so always confirm with the specific facility before assuming a program is running. Health systems that operate outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation across the state include:
- Emory Healthcare (multiple Atlanta-area campuses)
- Piedmont Healthcare (Atlanta, Athens, Columbus, Augusta, Macon, and other sites)
- Wellstar Health System (multiple metro Atlanta and West Georgia sites)
- Northeast Georgia Health System (Gainesville and Braselton)
- Memorial Health (Savannah and coastal Georgia)
- Augusta University Health (Augusta)
- Atrium Health Navicent (Macon and Central Georgia)
- Phoebe Putney Health System (Albany and Southwest Georgia)
- Grady Health System (Atlanta)
- Tanner Health System (Carrollton and West Georgia)
Rural access has been the harder problem. Georgia's rural and critical access hospitals, the small rural facilities that operate under Medicare's Section 1820 critical access hospital rules, have expanded outpatient services in recent years, and more now offer pulmonary rehabilitation than a decade ago.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2025). CMS Medicare Learning Network — Information for Critical Access Hospitals (MLN006400, December 2025). cms.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mln006400-information-critical-access-hospitals.pdf A rural beneficiary who cannot reach a program locally can weigh traveling to a metropolitan program, using two-per-day sessions to reduce trips, or asking a regional hospital whether it plans to add the service.
Worked examples
These scenarios are illustrative and hypothetical. Each reflects the same coverage rules: up to 36 pulmonary rehabilitation sessions over up to 36 weeks, extendable to 72 with Medicare Administrative Contractor approval, with standard Part B cost-sharing.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Fulton County, COPD after a hospital stay
A 78-year-old Atlanta beneficiary with GOLD stage III COPD is hospitalized for a flare-up. At discharge, her pulmonologist refers her to a hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation program. She attends three sessions a week and completes 36 sessions over 12 weeks, learning breathing techniques, inhaler use, and a flare-up action plan along the way. Because she carries a Medigap policy that covers the Part B coinsurance, her out-of-pocket cost per session is minimal.
Chatham County, very severe emphysema
An 82-year-old Savannah beneficiary with GOLD stage IV COPD on home oxygen is referred after two flare-ups in six months. During sessions, the team monitors his oxygen and adjusts his exertional oxygen level under supervision. He completes the standard 36-session course. Standard Part B cost-sharing applies unless Medigap, Medicare Advantage, or QMB covers it.
Richmond County, persistent post-COVID breathing problems
An 80-year-old Augusta beneficiary was seriously ill with COVID-19 and still has lasting shortness of breath a year later, with abnormal breathing tests. He does not have COPD. Under the coverage Medicare added effective January 1, 2022 for persistent post-COVID respiratory symptoms, his physician documents the medical need and refers him, and he qualifies for pulmonary rehabilitation.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Worth County, a rural access decision
A 75-year-old beneficiary in rural Southwest Georgia with GOLD stage II COPD qualifies for pulmonary rehabilitation, but the nearest hospital program is over an hour away. After talking with the program, she attends twice a week and occasionally doubles up two sessions on one day to cut the number of long drives, completing the course over about four months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicare cover pulmonary rehabilitation?
Yes. Medicare Part B covers comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation for beneficiaries with moderate-to-very-severe COPD (GOLD stage II, III, or IV) referred by their treating physician, and for people who have had confirmed or suspected COVID-19 with persistent respiratory symptoms lasting at least four weeks.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Who qualifies for pulmonary rehab with COPD?
People whose COPD is classified as GOLD stage II, III, or IV, which is moderate, severe, or very severe COPD. Your physician determines the stage from spirometry. Mild (GOLD I) COPD does not meet the Medicare qualifying line.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Is pulmonary rehab covered after COVID-19?
Yes. Since January 1, 2022, Medicare covers pulmonary rehabilitation for people who have had confirmed or suspected COVID-19 and have persistent symptoms that include respiratory dysfunction for at least four weeks, even without COPD. CMS added this coverage in the CY2022 Physician Fee Schedule final rule.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
How many pulmonary rehab sessions does Medicare cover?
Up to two one-hour sessions per day, up to 36 sessions over up to 36 weeks, with the option for up to another 36 sessions if your Medicare Administrative Contractor approves, for a lifetime maximum of 72.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
What does pulmonary rehab cost?
After the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount in a doctor's office, or a hospital copayment per session in a hospital outpatient setting. Medigap, QMB, and Medicare Advantage can reduce or eliminate this.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. cms.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles,Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Pulmonary rehabilitation programs coverage - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jun 25, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/pulmonary-rehabilitation-programs
Does Medigap or QMB pay pulmonary rehab cost-sharing?
Most Medigap plans cover the Part B coinsurance for pulmonary rehabilitation. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) status through Georgia Medicaid covers Medicare cost-sharing, so the beneficiary owes nothing for covered sessions.
Does Medicare Advantage cover pulmonary rehab?
Yes. Medicare Advantage plans must cover the services Original Medicare covers, including pulmonary rehabilitation. Cost-sharing is set by the plan, so confirm your per-session copay before starting.
How is pulmonary rehab different from cardiac rehab?
Both are Medicare Part B benefits with the same up-to-36-sessions structure, but pulmonary rehab focuses on breathing and lung-disease self-management, while cardiac rehab focuses on recovery after a heart event. Some people with both heart and lung disease qualify for both.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Cardiac rehabilitation programs - Medicare.gov. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cardiac-rehabilitation-programs
Where can Georgia beneficiaries find a pulmonary rehab program?
Ask your pulmonologist or primary-care physician for a referral, or call the pulmonary rehabilitation department at a Georgia hospital system near you. Availability changes, especially in rural areas, so verify with the specific program. GeorgiaCares SHIP at 1-866-552-4464 can also help you find options.Administration for Community Living. (n.d.). Administration for Community Living — State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). acl.gov. Retrieved Jul 30, 2026, from https://acl.gov/programs/connecting-people-services/state-health-insurance-assistance-program-ship
Why Georgia Medicare pulmonary rehabilitation matters
For a Georgia beneficiary living with moderate-to-very-severe COPD, or with breathing problems that lingered after COVID-19, pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the most useful benefits Medicare offers, and one of the most overlooked. It is supervised, it is structured, and it is designed to keep people out of the hospital and moving through daily life. The rules are the same statewide, but access is not: in metropolitan Georgia a program is usually within reach, while in rural counties it can take a longer drive or a call to confirm a program is running. Knowing the benefit exists, that post-COVID symptoms can qualify, and that the 36-session course can extend to 72 lets a family ask for what they are entitled to rather than settle for less.
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Resources and contacts
Find personalized help navigating Georgia Medicare pulmonary rehabilitation at brevy.com.
The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.