If a doctor has suggested a depression screening, or you're just wondering whether Medicare will pay for one, the short answer is yes, and it's free once a year. Medicare Part B covers one depression screening every 12 months at no cost to you, as long as it's done in a primary care setting that can follow up. Here's how the $0 works and where the screening has to happen.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- Does Medicare Cover Depression Screening?
- Why Your Depression Screening Is Free
- Where Medicare Covers the Depression Screening
- What the Free Screening Doesn't Cover
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Learn More
Does Medicare Cover Depression Screening?
Yes. Medicare Part B covers a depression screening once every 12 months, and when your provider accepts assignment, you pay nothing for it.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Depression Screening Coverage. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/depression-screening A screening is quick: it's usually a short set of standard questions your provider uses to check whether you might be dealing with depression. It's not a diagnosis, and it's not treatment. It's the first look.
The "once every 12 months" part is a real limit, not a suggestion. Under Medicare's national coverage rules, a depression screening isn't covered if it's done more than one time in a 12-month period.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Depression Screening Coverage. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/depression-screening So think of it as a yearly benefit. You and your doctor can decide together when it makes sense to use it.
Accepts assignment means the provider agrees to take Medicare's approved amount as full payment. When they do, the screening is genuinely free. Most providers who take Medicare accept assignment, but it's worth confirming before your visit.
Why Your Depression Screening Is Free
Depression screening is one of Medicare's preventive services, and preventive services get special cost treatment. For a normal outpatient Part B service, you'd first pay the annual deductible, which is $283 in 2026, and then 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. cms.gov. Retrieved Jun 22, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles For this screening, both of those are waived.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Depression Screening Coverage. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/depression-screening
That's the whole reason the answer is "free" and not "cheap." You don't chip away at a deductible, and there's no 20% share left for you. When the provider accepts assignment, the screening lands at $0.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Depression Screening Coverage. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/depression-screening
Where Medicare Covers the Depression Screening
Medicare's rule is that the screening has to be furnished in a primary care setting, like a doctor's office, that has the staff and supports in place to provide accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and follow-up or referral to a mental health provider.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Depression Screening Coverage. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/depression-screening
In plain terms: the screening is meant to happen somewhere that can act on the result. Your regular doctor's office is the classic example. The point of the rule is that a screen without anywhere to go next doesn't help anyone, so Medicare ties the free screening to a setting that can take the next step with you if the result warrants it.
If you're not sure whether a particular clinic or visit qualifies, ask the office directly whether they bill the depression screening as a Medicare preventive service. It's a normal question, and the front desk deals with it all the time.
What the Free Screening Doesn't Cover
The $0 covers the screening, and only the screening.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Depression Screening Coverage. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/depression-screening If the screen suggests you might be depressed, whatever comes next to look into it and treat it is separate care, billed the normal way.
So a follow-up visit, talk therapy, a psychiatric evaluation, or medication management counts as ordinary Part B (or, for prescriptions, Part D) care. For Part B services like an office visit or outpatient therapy, that means the annual deductible of $283 in 2026, then 20% coinsurance on the Medicare-approved amount.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. cms.gov. Retrieved Jun 22, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles None of that is a reason to skip the screening. It just helps to know the free part stops at the screen, and treatment picks up under regular cost rules.
If you want the full picture of what Medicare's outpatient mental health coverage includes for therapy, counseling, and psychiatric care, our full guide to Medicare mental health benefits walks through it. And a positive screen is exactly the moment to have an honest talk with your doctor about what treatment, if any, fits your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a depression screening really free under Medicare?
Yes. When your provider accepts assignment, you pay $0 for the annual depression screening, with no Part B deductible and no coinsurance. It's a preventive service, so the usual cost-sharing is waived for the screening itself.
How often does Medicare cover a depression screening?
Once every 12 months. Medicare's coverage rules say a depression screening isn't covered when it's done more than one time in a 12-month period, so plan on it as a yearly benefit.
Where does the depression screening have to be done?
In a primary care setting, like a doctor's office, that can provide diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up or referral to a mental health provider. If you're unsure whether a clinic qualifies, ask whether they bill the screening as a Medicare preventive service.
Does the free screening cover treatment if I'm diagnosed?
No. The $0 applies to the screening only. If the screen points to something worth treating, the care that follows (a therapy session, a psychiatric evaluation, medication) is billed like ordinary Part B or Part D care, under the usual deductible and coinsurance.
Learn More
Find personalized help sorting out what a depression screening and any follow-up care will cost under Medicare 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.