Yes, Medicare covers a colonoscopy, and for routine colorectal cancer screening you pay nothing when your provider accepts assignment. Coverage isn't the hard part. The details are: which test you get, the age you become eligible, and how often Medicare will pay for it. Those rules aren't the same for every screening.

In This Guide

Does Medicare Cover a Colonoscopy?

Short answer: yes. Medicare Part B treats colorectal cancer screening as a preventive service, and the screening colonoscopy is the centerpiece of that benefit. When your provider accepts assignment, a screening colonoscopy costs you $0, with no deductible and no coinsurance for the test itself.

"Accepts assignment" just means the provider agrees to the Medicare-approved amount as full payment. Most do, but it's a fair question to ask when you schedule, because that agreement is what keeps the screening free.

Unlike some other screenings, a screening colonoscopy has no minimum age under Medicare. If you're on Medicare and your doctor recommends one, the age rule isn't what stands in the way.

Which Tests Medicare Covers: Colonoscopy, Stool Test, and Sigmoidoscopy

Medicare doesn't cover just one colorectal test. It covers a few, and the rules for age and timing aren't identical, so it helps to see them side by side. The stool-based screening and the flexible sigmoidoscopy both start at age 45. The screening colonoscopy has no age floor, and how often it's covered depends on whether you're at high risk.

Screening test Age you become eligible How often Medicare covers it
Stool-based screening (fecal-occult blood test) 45 and up Once every 12 months
Flexible sigmoidoscopy 45 and up Once every 48 months
Screening colonoscopy No minimum age Once every 24, 48, or 120 months, depending on your risk

For the screening colonoscopy, the interval is the piece people ask about most. If you're at high risk for colorectal cancer, Medicare covers one more often. If you're not at high risk, the covered interval is longer. Your doctor determines your risk level, and that's what sets your schedule.

So the practical takeaway is to match the test to your situation. Many people start with the once-a-year stool test at 45 and move to a colonoscopy if something needs a closer look, while others go straight to a colonoscopy on their doctor's advice. Either way, the screening itself is a covered benefit.

What Medicare Colorectal Cancer Screening Actually Costs

For a screening colonoscopy, when your provider accepts assignment, you pay $0. That's the whole point of the preventive benefit, and it's genuinely free, not free-with-fine-print.

The $0 is attached to screening. A colonoscopy that your doctor orders to investigate symptoms, rather than as routine screening, isn't the free preventive test. Those services fall under standard Part B cost-sharing, which means you'd pay the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) and then 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. Same procedure, different reason, different price.

That's not a reason to skip screening. It's just worth knowing the $0 covers the routine screening, and the standard cost-sharing picks up for care that Medicare doesn't classify as the preventive benefit. If you're not sure which bucket your test falls into, ask the office to tell you how it's being coded before the appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Medicare cover a colonoscopy?

Yes. Medicare Part B covers a screening colonoscopy as a preventive service, and you pay $0 when your provider accepts assignment. There's no minimum age for a screening colonoscopy under Medicare.

How often does Medicare cover a colonoscopy?

For a screening colonoscopy, coverage comes once every 24, 48, or 120 months, depending on your risk. People at high risk for colorectal cancer are covered more often; people not at high risk have a longer interval. Your doctor sets your risk level.

At what age does Medicare cover colorectal cancer screening?

It depends on the test. The stool-based screening and flexible sigmoidoscopy are covered starting at age 45. A screening colonoscopy has no minimum age.

Is a stool test for colon cancer covered by Medicare?

Yes. The screening fecal-occult blood test is covered once every 12 months for people 45 and older.

Why did I get a bill for my colonoscopy?

The $0 price applies to routine screening. If your colonoscopy was ordered to look into symptoms, it's treated as diagnostic care rather than the free preventive screening, so standard Part B cost-sharing applies: the deductible, then 20% coinsurance. If you're surprised by a bill, ask the provider how the visit was coded.

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Find personalized help understanding what a colorectal cancer screening will actually cost 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.

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Brevy Care Team

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