Medicare covers a bone density test, usually a DEXA scan, at $0 once every 24 months, but only if you meet at least one of five risk conditions. So the real question isn't whether it's covered. It's whether you qualify, and what "free" actually means here.

In This Guide

What Medicare Covers for a Bone Density Test

Medicare Part B covers what the rules call a bone mass measurement. In plain terms, that's a bone-density test that measures how strong your bones are and how likely they are to break. The most common version is a DEXA scan (you'll also see it written DXA), a quick, painless X-ray of your hip and spine.

It's a preventive service, so Medicare treats it the way it treats a mammogram or a colonoscopy: something meant to catch a problem early, before a fracture happens. Coverage runs once every 24 months, which really means at least 23 months have to pass since your last covered scan.

If your doctor documents that you need it sooner, Medicare can pay more often. A common example is someone on long-term steroid therapy whose doctor wants to check whether their bones are holding up. But that's the exception. For most people, this is a scan you get every couple of years.

Do You Qualify? The Five Conditions

Here's the part that surprises people. Being on Medicare, or being a certain age, doesn't automatically get you a covered bone density test. Medicare's national coverage policy lists five specific conditions, and you have to meet at least one of them.

You qualify if any one of these is true:

  1. You're a woman whose doctor determines you're estrogen-deficient and at clinical risk for osteoporosis, based on your medical history and other findings.
  2. Your X-rays show possible osteoporosis, osteopenia, or vertebral (spine) fractures.
  3. You're taking, or about to start, long-term steroid (glucocorticoid) treatment, at a level equivalent to an average of 5 mg of prednisone or more per day for longer than three months.
  4. You've been diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism.
  5. You're being monitored to see whether an FDA-approved osteoporosis drug therapy is actually working.

Notice that only the first condition is written specifically for women. The other four are written for any individual, so men can qualify too, most often through a suspicious X-ray, long-term steroid use, or hyperparathyroidism. Osteoporosis gets talked about as a women's issue, but Medicare's coverage isn't limited that way.

If one of those fits your situation, you're covered. If none of them do, Medicare's preventive bone-density benefit doesn't apply, even if you'd like the reassurance of a scan. The move there is a conversation with your doctor about whether one of these conditions describes you, since the qualifying finding often comes from that visit.

What a Medicare-Covered Bone Density Test Costs

Good news on this one: when you qualify and your provider accepts assignment, you pay nothing. Medicare waives both pieces of cost-sharing that normally apply to Part B care: the annual deductible and the 20% coinsurance.

To see why that matters, compare it to a typical Part B service. For most outpatient care, you'd first pay the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), and then 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after that. A qualifying bone density test skips all of that. That's what "free" means here: not just no coinsurance, but no deductible either.

Two things are worth knowing. First, the $0 depends on your provider accepting assignment, which most do for a routine scan. Second, this is the coverage under Original Medicare. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, the benefit is the same, but your plan may have its own rules about which imaging centers are in network, so it's worth a quick check before you book.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Medicare cover a DEXA scan?

Yes. A DEXA scan (also written DXA) is the most common form of the bone mass measurement Medicare covers. When you meet one of the five qualifying conditions and your provider accepts assignment, it's covered once every 24 months at no cost to you.

How often will Medicare pay for a bone density test?

Plan on once every 24 months, and count on at least 23 months passing since your last covered scan before the next one is due. Need one sooner? That comes down to your doctor documenting a medical reason, such as tracking bone loss during long-term steroid treatment.

I'm on Medicare and worried about my bones. Do I automatically qualify?

Not automatically. Medicare's coverage policy names five qualifying conditions, and age or general worry isn't one of them. The good news is that several of the conditions, like being estrogen-deficient and at risk, or having a suspicious X-ray, are things your doctor can identify at a normal visit.

What does a bone density test actually cost with Medicare?

In the typical case, nothing: a qualifying scan is $0 when your provider accepts assignment, with no Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) and no 20% coinsurance. The thing that can change that math is a provider who doesn't accept assignment, so it's worth confirming before you schedule.

Learn More

MedicareMedicare Preventive Services: What You Get for FreeMedicare preventive services are mostly free: two wellness visits, screenings, and vaccines at $0, plus the billing trap that can turn free into a charge. MedicareMedicare Prostate Cancer Screening: What It Actually CostsMedicare covers annual prostate screening for men over 50, but only the PSA test is free. The digital rectal exam is billed, plus what follow-up costs. MedicareDoes Medicare Cover a Mammogram? What It CostsMedicare covers a screening mammogram for free once a year for women 40+, but a diagnostic mammogram is not free. Here's the cost split and the 3D rule. MedicareMedicare Cardiovascular Screening: What's Covered and How OftenMedicare covers a cardiovascular disease screening (a fasting cholesterol blood test) at $0, but only once every 5 years. Here's what you get and what you pay. MedicareMedicare Annual Wellness Visit: What the Free Yearly Visit CoversYour Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is $0, but it's not a physical, and one new symptom can turn it into a bill. What's covered, and how to keep it free.

Find personalized help figuring out whether a parent's bone density test will be covered 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.

BC

Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.