Your Medicare Coverage

Is my test, item, or service covered?

Clinical research studies

How often is it covered?

Medicare covers clinical research studies to test different types of medical care. Some costs are covered, like doctor visits and tests, in qualifying studies.

Who's eligible?

All people with Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) are covered, in qualifying studies.

Your costs in Original Medicare

You pay the part of the payment that you would normally pay for covered services.

Medicare will help pay for some of your costs if you join a covered clinical research study.

Medicare pays routine costs for items and services, including:

  • Room and board for a hospital stay that Medicare would pay for even if you weren't in a covered research study.
  • An operation to implant an item that’s being tested.
  • Treatment of side effects and complications that may result from the study.

Medicare won't pay for:

  • The new item or service the study is testing (except for certain medical devices) unless Medicare would cover the item or service even if you weren't in a study.
  • Items and services the study gives for free. Many times the study sponsor will give the treatment for free.
  • Items or services given only to collect data and not used in your direct health care, such as monthly CT scans for a condition that usually requires only a yearly scan.
  • Coinsurance and deductibles.

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