Yes, Medicare covers hepatitis B screening, and for the people who qualify it costs nothing. But "who qualifies" is the whole story here. This isn't a test Medicare pays for on request for everyone. You have to meet one of two conditions, and a provider has to order it. Here's exactly how that works so you know before the appointment whether it's free for you.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- Does Medicare Cover Hepatitis B Screening?
- Who Qualifies for Medicare to Cover Hepatitis B Screening?
- What It Costs You
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Learn More
Does Medicare Cover Hepatitis B Screening?
Short answer: yes. Medicare Part B covers hepatitis B virus infection screening as a preventive service, and when your provider accepts assignment, you pay $0 for it, no deductible and no coinsurance.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 11, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hepatitis-b-virus-hbv-infection-screenings
Medicare added this coverage back in 2016 under its authority to pay for additional preventive services.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 11, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hepatitis-b-virus-hbv-infection-screenings The point is to catch a chronic infection early in people most likely to have it, before it does quiet damage to the liver.
This coverage runs through a provider's order, so you don't self-refer for it. Your doctor or another qualified provider has to order the screening, and you have to fit one of the two eligibility conditions below. Meet those, and the test is free. Don't, and Medicare won't treat it as a covered preventive screening.
Who Qualifies for Medicare to Cover Hepatitis B Screening?
This is the part that decides whether it's free for you. Medicare covers the screening only if a provider orders it and you meet one of these two conditions:Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 11, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hepatitis-b-virus-hbv-infection-screenings
- You're at high risk for HBV infection, or
- You're pregnant.
If neither applies, the preventive coverage doesn't kick in. So the real question for most people is what counts as "high risk."
Medicare doesn't leave that fuzzy. CMS defines high risk with a specific list, and you can usually tell where you stand before you even talk to your provider. You're considered high risk if you fall into any of these groups:Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 11, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hepatitis-b-virus-hbv-infection-screenings
- You were born in a country or region where hepatitis B is common (a prevalence of 2% or higher).Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 11, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hepatitis-b-virus-hbv-infection-screenings
- You were born in the US, weren't vaccinated as an infant, and your parents were born in a region where hepatitis B is very common (a prevalence of 8% or higher).Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 11, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hepatitis-b-virus-hbv-infection-screenings
- You're HIV-positive.
- You're a man who has sex with men.
- You inject drugs.
- You live with, or are the sexual partner of, someone who has hepatitis B.
If one of those describes you, or if you're pregnant, you fit Medicare's rule for a covered screening. Bring it up with your provider so they can order the test. If you're not sure whether you qualify, that conversation is the place to sort it out, since they're the ones who place the order either way.
What It Costs You
For the screening itself, the answer is simple: $0, as long as your provider accepts assignment.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicare.gov — Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection screenings. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 11, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hepatitis-b-virus-hbv-infection-screenings Assignment just means the provider agrees to Medicare's approved amount as full payment, which most do. No deductible, no coinsurance, no copay for the covered screening.
Where a bill can show up is after the screening, not for it. The $0 covers screening, and only screening. If a result points to a possible active infection and your provider orders diagnostic testing or follow-up care to sort it out, that's no longer the free preventive service. Diagnostic services are billed the standard way: you pay the annual Part B 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 the screening. It's just worth knowing the $0 stops at the screening test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hepatitis B screening free under Medicare?
Yes, for people who qualify. Medicare Part B covers HBV infection screening as a preventive service, and you pay $0 when your provider accepts assignment. Eligibility is what decides it: you have to be at high risk or pregnant, and a provider has to order the test. If you don't meet one of those conditions, it isn't covered as a free preventive screening.
Who counts as "high risk" for hepatitis B under Medicare?
CMS names specific groups: people born in countries or regions where hepatitis B is common (2% prevalence or higher); US-born people who weren't vaccinated as infants and whose parents came from very high prevalence regions (8% or higher); people who are HIV-positive; men who have sex with men; people who inject drugs; and household members or sexual partners of someone with hepatitis B. If any of those fit you, you meet the high-risk condition.
Does Medicare cover hepatitis B screening during pregnancy?
Yes. Being pregnant is one of the two qualifying conditions on its own, so you don't also have to be in a high-risk category. As with any covered screening, a provider still has to order it, and you pay $0 when the provider accepts assignment.
Do I have to be high risk AND pregnant?
No. You need only one of the two. The rule is high risk or pregnant, not both. Meeting either condition, with a provider's order, is enough for the screening to be covered.
What if my screening result is abnormal?
The free coverage is for the screening. If a result leads to diagnostic testing or treatment, that follow-up care is billed as regular Part B care, not as the free preventive service, so you'd pay the deductible if you haven't met it and then 20% coinsurance.
Learn More
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