Does Medicare Cover Diabetic Supplies?

Medicare provides coverage for a range of diabetic supplies through its various parts. Understanding your specific coverage options offered by each part is essential to ensuring you receive the necessary care without unexpected costs.

Understanding coverage across Medicare Parts

• Medicare Part A covers hospital stays, skilled nursing, hospice, and some home healthcare. It may apply if you’re hospitalized due to diabetes-related complications or require skilled nursing or home health services.
• Medicare Part B covers outpatient care, doctor visits, and preventive services. This includes diabetes screenings, blood sugar monitors and supplies, insulin pumps, therapeutic shoes, and diabetes self-management training.
• Medicare Part D helps pay for prescription medications, including insulin and supplies for insulin administration.
• Medicare Advantage (Part C) includes all Part A and Part B benefits and may offer extras like vision, dental, and wellness programs. Coverage varies by plan.
• Medicare Supplement helps with out-of-pocket costs like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles not covered by Original Medicare.

Medicare Part B coverage for diabetes

Medicare Part B covers a range of diabetes-related supplies and services, generally covering 80% of the Medicare-approved amount after you pay the annual Part B deductible ($257 in 2025). The remaining 20% is your responsibility. Certain preventive services, such as diabetes screenings and annual wellness visits, are fully covered by Medicare without requiring you to pay the Part B deductible, copay, or coinsurance.

Diabetes equipment and supplies

Medicare Part B covers essential diabetes equipment and supplies, including:

• Insulin pumps (considered durable medical equipment)
• Home blood sugar (glucose) monitors
• Blood sugar test strips
• Lancets and lancet devices

These supplies are vital for daily diabetes management.¹

Foot exams and treatment

If you have diabetes-related nerve damage, Medicare Part B covers foot exams and treatment to prevent complications. These services are crucial for the early detection and management of foot issues.¹

Glaucoma screenings

Medicare Part B provides coverage for annual glaucoma screenings for individuals with diabetes, aiding in early detection and treatment to prevent vision loss.¹

Therapeutic shoes or inserts

Medicare Part B covers therapeutic shoes or inserts if you have severe diabetic foot disease, helping to prevent ulcers and other foot complications.¹

Diabetes self-management training

Medicare Part B covers diabetes self-management training (DSMT) to help educate you on effectively managing your condition, including blood sugar monitoring, diet, and exercise.³ To access DSMT services, you need a written order from your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. These services are typically provided in group settings. Individual or telehealth sessions may be provided in certain situations, like if you reside in a rural area.

Diabetes coverage with no Part B deductible, coinsurance, or copayment

Certain preventive services under Medicare Part B are fully covered—meaning no deductible, coinsurance, or copayment—if your healthcare provider accepts assignment. This means your provider agrees to accept Medicare’s approved amount as full payment and cannot charge you extra. When a provider accepts assignment, they bill Medicare directly, simplifying the process and keeping your out-of-pocket costs low. These services include:

• Diabetes screenings: Medicare Part B covers diabetes screenings each year if your doctor has determined you’re at risk of developing diabetes. These screenings are crucial for early detection and management, helping to prevent the progression of the disease and associated complications. Depending on their risk factors, you can receive up to two diabetes screenings per year.²
• Diabetes prevention: Medicare’s Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) helps prevent type 2 diabetes by offering structured coaching on diet, exercise, and behavior changes to encourage weight loss and healthier habits. It is designed for people with prediabetes to lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.⁶
• Flu and pneumococcal shots: Medicare Part B fully covers both annual influenza or flu vaccines and pneumococcal vaccines. These immunizations are vital in protecting you from severe respiratory infections and their complications, especially among older adults and those with chronic health conditions like diabetes.
• Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) services: If you have diabetes or kidney disease, Medicare Part B covers MNT services, which include nutritional assessments, counseling, and therapy sessions provided by registered dietitians or qualified nutrition professionals. MNT aims to help you manage your conditions through personalized dietary planning and lifestyle changes.
• “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit: Within the first 12 months of enrolling in Medicare Part B, you are entitled to receive a comprehensive visit covering medical and social history, vital signs, and preventive care guidance. This visit is not a physical exam but serves as an opportunity to establish a healthcare plan tailored to your needs.⁷
• Yearly “wellness” visit: After the initial 12 months, Medicare Part B covers annual “wellness” visits focused on developing or updating a personalized prevention plan based on current health and risk factors. These visits are not annual physical exams. Instead, they are designed to help you maintain optimal health and prevent the onset or progression of diseases.⁸

Using these preventive services with Medicare, you can proactively manage your health, detect potential issues early, and work toward improved health outcomes.

Medicare Part D coverage for diabetes drugs

With Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), you should also enroll in a Part D plan if you want prescription drug coverage. These plans help cover the cost of prescription medications for individuals with diabetes or at risk of developing it, including diabetes supplies, insulin for use with syringes or disposable patch insulin pumps, and anti-diabetic drugs.

Insulin

Medicare Part D covers insulin not used with an insulin pump. As of January 2023, with Part D coverage, insulin copays are capped at $35 per month, with no deductible.^1,5

Anti-diabetic drugs

Medicare Part D covers certain oral anti-diabetic drugs, such as metformin and Ozempic (semaglutide), prescribed to manage blood sugar levels. You should consult your plan’s formulary to confirm coverage of certain anti-diabetic drugs.

Diabetes supplies

Medicare Part D covers supplies necessary for injecting or inhaling insulin, including:

• Alcohol swabs
• Gauze
• Needles
• Syringes
• Inhaled insulin devices

Part D also covers insulin used with insulin pumps, not covered under Part B, which covers both insulin pumps and the insulin used with them only if the pump is considered durable medical equipment (DME). If the insulin pump is not classified as DME—such as certain disposable patch pumps—Part D may cover the insulin used with these devices. These supplies are essential for insulin administration and are included under Medicare Part D.¹

Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement coverage for diabetes

Many Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans include prescription drug coverage (Part D) and may offer additional benefits, such as vision, dental, and hearing services. These plans typically cover the same diabetes-related services and supplies as Parts B and D, including insulin, blood sugar monitors, test strips, and diabetes self-management training.

Medicare supplement Insurance policies work alongside Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) to help pay for copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. While Medicare supplement Insurance does not provide extra diabetes benefits beyond what Original Medicare covers, it helps reduce your overall out-of-pocket expenses by covering cost-sharing for Medicare-approved diabetes supplies and services. Since Medicare supplement Insurance does not include prescription drug coverage, you would need a separate Medicare Part D plan for diabetes-related medications.

Understanding these coverage options can help you choose a plan that best fits your diabetes care needs while managing costs effectively.

How to get diabetic supplies covered by Medicare

To ensure coverage for diabetic supplies under Medicare, you will need to obtain prescriptions from your healthcare providers and purchase supplies from pharmacies or suppliers enrolled in Medicare. This ensures compliance with Medicare’s requirements and facilitates coverage.¹

Medicare diabetes coverage FAQ

Q1. Does Medicare cover Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM)?

Yes, Medicare Part B covers CGMs for those who meet specific criteria, such as those who require frequent blood sugar testing and insulin administration. Recent policy changes have expanded coverage, increasing CGM access to people with diabetes.¹

Q2. Are insulin pens covered by Medicare?

Medicare covers insulin pens under specific conditions. To obtain this coverage, you must be enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan that includes insulin pens in its formulary. As of January 2023, a one-month supply of each Part D-covered insulin product is capped at $35, with no deductible, making insulin pens more affordable.⁵

Q3. Does Medicare cover diabetic eye exams?

Yes, Medicare Part B covers annual eye exams for diabetic retinopathy if you have diabetes. These exams must be performed by an eye doctor who is legally authorized to do the test in your state. After you meet the Part B deductible, you are responsible for 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the doctor’s services. If the exam is conducted in a hospital outpatient setting, a copayment may also apply. Regular screenings are crucial for the early detection and management of diabetes-related vision issues, helping to prevent serious complications such as vision loss or impairment.⁴

Sources

¹ CMS.gov. Web page: Medicare Coverage of Diabetes Supplies. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2025, from https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mln7674574-medicare-coverage-diabetes-supplies.pdf.

² Medicare.gov. Web page: Diabetes screenings. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2025, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/diabetes-screenings.

³ Medicare.gov. Web page: Diabetes self-management training. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2025, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/diabetes-self-management-training.

⁴ Medicare.gov. Web page: Eye exams (for diabetes). Retrieved Jan. 31, 2025, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/eye-exams-for-diabetes.

⁵ Medicare.gov. Web page: Insulin. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2025, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/insulin.

⁶ CMS.gov. Web page: Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) Expanded Model. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2025, from https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/medicare-diabetes-prevention-program.

⁷ Medicare.gov. Web page: “Welcome to Medicare” Preventive Visit. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2025, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/welcome-to-medicare-preventive-visit.

⁸ Medicare.gov. Web page: Yearly “Wellness” Visits. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2025, from https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/yearly-wellness-visits.

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