You're on Medicare, it's time for a Pap smear and pelvic exam, and you want to know two things: is it covered, and what will it cost? Yes, Part B covers it, and when your provider accepts assignment, you pay nothing.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- What Medicare Covers: Pap Smears, Pelvic Exams, and HPV Tests
- How Often Medicare Covers Pap Smears and Pelvic Exams
- What It Costs When the Provider Accepts Assignment
- What About HPV Testing?
- If a Result Comes Back Abnormal
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Learn More
What Medicare Covers: Pap Smears, Pelvic Exams, and HPV Tests
Medicare Part B covers two things done together at a routine well-woman visit: a Pap test and a pelvic exam. The pelvic exam includes a clinical breast exam to check for breast cancer, and together they screen for cervical and vaginal cancers.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Cervical & vaginal cancer screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cervical-vaginal-cancer-screenings
So this isn't a single test you have to ask for by name. When your doctor does the routine screening, the lab Pap test, the specimen collection, the pelvic exam, and the breast check are all part of the same covered benefit. As part of the Pap test, Part B also covers a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test, which we'll come back to below.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Cervical & vaginal cancer screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cervical-vaginal-cancer-screenings
How Often Medicare Covers Pap Smears and Pelvic Exams
For most women, Part B covers these screenings once every 24 months.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Cervical & vaginal cancer screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cervical-vaginal-cancer-screenings That's the default, and it's what applies to the majority of people on Medicare.
Some women qualify twice as often, once every 12 months. That's the case if you're at high risk for cervical or vaginal cancer, or if you're of child-bearing age and had an abnormal Pap test in the past 36 months.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Cervical & vaginal cancer screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cervical-vaginal-cancer-screenings If either of those describes you, you don't have to wait two years between screenings.
Not sure which schedule you're on? Your doctor knows your risk history and can tell you whether you're on the 24-month or the 12-month clock.
What It Costs When the Provider Accepts Assignment
Now the cost, and this is the reassuring part. When your provider accepts assignment, you pay $0: no Part B deductible, no coinsurance.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Cervical & vaginal cancer screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cervical-vaginal-cancer-screenings
That $0 covers the lab Pap test, the lab HPV test done along with it, the specimen collection, and the pelvic and breast exams.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Cervical & vaginal cancer screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cervical-vaginal-cancer-screenings "Accepts assignment" means your provider agrees to take Medicare's approved amount as full payment, which most providers who take Medicare do. It's still worth a quick check with the office when you book, so there are no surprises.
What About HPV Testing?
Part B covers HPV testing two ways, and both matter because HPV is the main driver behind most cervical cancer.
First, as part of a Pap test, at the same $0 cost as the rest of the screening when your provider accepts assignment.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Cervical & vaginal cancer screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cervical-vaginal-cancer-screenings
Second, on its own schedule. Part B covers an HPV test, done together with a Pap test, once every 5 years for beneficiaries age 30 to 65 who don't have HPV symptoms.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Cervical & vaginal cancer screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/cervical-vaginal-cancer-screenings So depending on your age and your doctor's approach, HPV testing may be folded into your regular Pap screening or run on that five-year cadence.
If a Result Comes Back Abnormal
The free screening is exactly that, screening, and it helps to know where that stops. If a Pap or HPV result comes back abnormal and your doctor needs to look further, that follow-up is diagnostic care, not the free screening.
Diagnostic services bill the normal Part B way: the annual deductible ($283 in 2026) if you haven't met it yet, then 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. cms.gov. Retrieved Jul 23, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles That's not a reason to skip your screening, since the screening itself stays free. It just means the no-cost benefit covers finding a possible problem, not the workup that follows one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicare cover Pap smears and pelvic exams?
Yes. Medicare Part B covers a Pap test and a pelvic exam, including a clinical breast exam, to screen for cervical and vaginal cancers. When your provider accepts assignment, you pay $0 for the screening.
How often does Medicare cover a Pap test?
Once every 24 months for most women. If you're at high risk for cervical or vaginal cancer, or you're of child-bearing age and had an abnormal Pap test in the past 36 months, Part B covers it once every 12 months instead.
Is the Pap test really free?
Yes, when your provider accepts assignment. You pay no Part B deductible and no coinsurance for the lab Pap test, the specimen collection, and the pelvic and breast exams. The $0 applies to the screening; diagnostic follow-up after an abnormal result is billed the standard way.
Does Medicare cover HPV testing?
Yes. HPV testing is covered as part of a Pap test at the same $0 cost. Part B also covers an HPV test, done with a Pap test, once every 5 years for people age 30 to 65 who don't have HPV symptoms.
Does Medicare cover the clinical breast exam?
Yes. The clinical breast exam is part of the covered pelvic exam, so it's included in the $0 cost when your provider accepts assignment.
Learn More
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