U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
Regulations most recently checked for updates: Nov 02, 2024
(a) General provisions—(1) Exclusion from incurred expenses. As used in this section, “incurred expenses” are expenses incurred by an individual, during his or her coverage period, for covered Part B services, excluding the following:
(i) Expenses incurred for services for which the beneficiary is entitled to have payment made under Medicare Part A or would be so entitled except for the application of the Part A deductible and coinsurance requirements.
(ii) Expenses incurred in meeting the Part B blood deductible (§ 410.161).
(iii) In the case of services payable under a formula that takes into account reasonable charges, reasonable costs, customary charges, customary (insofar as reasonable) charges, charges related to reasonable costs, fair compensation, a pre-treatment prospective payment rate, or a standard overhead amount, or any combination of two or more of these factors, expenses in excess of any factor taken into account under that formula.
(iv) Expenses in excess of the outpatient mental health treatment limitation described in § 410.155.
(v) In the case of expenses incurred for outpatient physical therapy services including speech-language pathology services, the expenses excluded are from the incurred expenses under § 410.60(e). In the case of expenses incurred for outpatient occupational therapy including speech-language pathology services, the expenses excluded are from the incurred expenses under § 410.59(e).
(2) Other applicable provisions. Medicare Part B pays for incurred expenses the amounts specified in paragraphs (b) through (k) of this section, subject to the following:
(i) The principles and procedures for determining reasonable costs and reasonable charges and the conditions for Medicare payment, as set forth in parts 405 (subparts E and X), 413, and 424 of this chapter.
(ii) The Part B annual deductible (§ 410.160).
(iii) The special rules for payment to health maintenance organizations (HMOs), health care prepayment plans (HCPPs), and competitive medical plans (CMPs) that are set forth in part 417 of this chapter. (A prepayment organization that does not qualify as an HMO, CMP, or HCPP is paid in accordance with paragraph (b)(4) of this section.)
(b) Basic rules for payment. Except as specified in paragraphs (c) through (h) and (m) and (n) of this section, Medicare Part B pays the following amounts:
(1) For services furnished by, or under arrangements made by, a provider other than a nominal charge provider, whichever of the following is less:
(i) 80 percent of the reasonable cost of the services.
(ii) The reasonable cost of, or the customary charges for, the services, whichever is less, minus 20 percent of the customary (insofar as reasonable) charges for the services.
(2) For services furnished by, or under arrangements made by, a nominal charge provider, 80 percent of fair compensation.
(3) For emergency outpatient hospital services furnished by a nonparticipating hospital that is eligible to receive payment for those services under subpart G of part 424 of this chapter, the amount specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(4) For services furnished by a person or an entity other than those specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(3) of this section, 80 percent of the reasonable charges or 80 percent of the payment amount computed on any other payment basis for the services.
(c) Amount of payment: Home health services other than durable medical equipment (DME). For home health services other than DME furnished by, or under arrangements made by, a participating HHA, Medicare Part B pays the following amounts:
(1) For services furnished by an HHA that is a nominal charge provider, 100 percent of fair compensation.
(2) For services furnished by an HHA that is not a nominal charge provider, the lesser of the reasonable cost of the services and the customary charges for the services.
(d) Amount of payment: DME furnished as a home health service—(1) Basic rule. Except as specified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section—
(i) For DME furnished by an HHA that is a nominal charge provider, Medicare Part B pays 80 percent of fair compensation.
(ii) For DME furnished by an HHA that is not a nominal charge provider, Medicare Part B pays the lesser of the following:
(A) 80 percent of the reasonable cost of the service.
(B) The reasonable cost of, or the customary charge for, the service, whichever is less, minus 20 percent of the customary (insofar as reasonable) charge for the service.
(2) Exception. If the DME is used DME purchased by or on behalf of the beneficiary at a price at least 25 percent less than the reasonable charge for new equipment—
(i) For used DME furnished by an HHA that is a nominal charge provider, Medicare Part B pays 100 percent of fair compensation.
(ii) For used DME furnished by an HHA that is not a nominal charge provider, Medicare Part B pays 100 percent of the reasonable cost of, or the customary charge for, the services, whichever is less.
(e) Amount of payment: Renal dialysis services, supplies, and equipment. Effective for services furnished on or after August 1, 1983, Medicare Part B pays for the institutional dialysis services specified in § 409.250 and the home dialysis services, supplies, and equipment specified in § 409.252, as follows:
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, 80 percent of the per treatment prospective reimbursement rate established under § 413.170 of this chapter, for outpatient maintenance dialysis furnished by ESRD facilities approved in accordance with part 494 of this chapter.
(2) Exception. If a home dialysis patient elects to obtain home dialysis supplies or equipment (or both) from a party other than an approved ESRD facility, payment is in accordance with paragraph (b)(4) of this section.
(f) Amount of payment: Rural health clinic (RHC) and Federally qualified health center (FQHC) services. Medicare Part B pays, for services by a participating RHC or FQHC that is authorized to bill under the reasonable cost system, 80 percent of the costs determined under subpart X of part 405 of this chapter, to the extent those costs are reasonable and related to the cost of furnishing RHC or FQHC services or reasonable on the basis of other tests specified by CMS.
(g) Amount of payment: Used durable medical equipment furnished by otherthan an HHA. Medicare Part B pays the following amounts for used DME purchased by or on behalf of the beneficiary at a price at least 25 percent less than the reasonable charge for comparable new equipment:
(1) For used DME furnished by, or under arrangements made by, a nominal charge provider, 100 percent of fair compensation.
(2) For used DME furnished by or under arrangements made by a provider that is not a nominal charge provider, 100 percent of the reasonable cost of the service or the customary charge for the service, whichever is less.
(3) For used DME furnished by other than a provider, 100 percent of the reasonable charge.
(h) Amount of payment: Preventive vaccine administration. For the administration of the preventive vaccines described in paragraph (l)(1) of this section, as furnished by providers described in §§ 409.100 and 410.150 of this subchapter, Medicare Part B pays the following amounts, except as otherwise provided under this subchapter:
(1) Effective January 1, 2022, for administration of an influenza, hepatitis B or pneumococcal vaccine, $30 per dose.
(2) For the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine:
(i) Effective January 1, 2022, for administration of a COVID-19 vaccine, $40 per dose.
(ii) For services furnished on or after January 1 of the year following the year in which the Secretary ends the March 27, 2020 Emergency Use Authorization declaration for drugs and biologicals (issued at 85 FR 18250) pursuant to section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 360bbb-3), for administration of a COVID-19 vaccine, an amount equal to the amount that would be paid for the administration of a preventive vaccine described in paragraph (h)(1) of this section.
(3) Subject to conditions specified in this paragraph, in addition to the payment described in paragraph (h)(1) or (2) of this section, an additional payment for preventive vaccine administration in the patient's home:
(i) Effective January 1, 2022 for administration of a COVID-19 vaccine in the home, an additional payment of $35.50.
(ii) Effective January 1, 2024, for the administration of one or more of the preventive vaccines described in paragraphs (h)(1) and (2) of this section in the home, a payment equal to that of the payment in paragraph (h)(3)(i) of this section.
(iii) An additional payment for preventive vaccine administration in the home can be made if:
(A) The patient has difficulty leaving the home, or faces barriers to getting a vaccine in settings other than their home.
(B) The sole purpose of the visit is to administer one or more preventive vaccines.
(C) The home is not an institution that meets the requirements of sections 1861(e)(1), 1819(a)(1), or 1919(a)(1) of the Act, or §§ 409.42(a) of this subchapter.
(4) The payment amount for the administration of a preventive vaccine described in paragraphs (h)(1) and (2) of this section, and the additional payment for the administration of a preventive vaccine in the home as described in paragraph (h)(3) of this section, is adjusted to reflect geographic cost variations:
(i) For services furnished before January 1, 2023, using the Geographic Practice Cost Indices (GPCIs) established for the year, as described in section 1848(e)(1) of the Act and §§ 414.2 and 414.26 of this subchapter.
(ii) For services furnished on or after January 1, 2023, using the Geographic Adjustment Factor (GAF) established for the year as described in section 1848(e)(2) of the Act and §§ 414.2 and 414.26 of this subchapter.
(5) For services furnished on or after January 1, 2023, the payment amount for administration of a preventive vaccine described in paragraphs (h)(1) and (2) of this section, and the additional payment for the administration of a preventive vaccine in the home as described in paragraph (h)(3) of this section, is updated annually using the percentage change in the Medicare Economic Index (MEI), as described in section 1842(i)(3) of the Act and § 405.504(d) of this subchapter.
(i) Amount of payment: ASC facility services. (1) For ASC facility services furnished on or after July 1, 1987 and before January 1, 2008, in connection with the surgical procedures specified in part 416 of this chapter, Medicare Part B pays 80 percent of a standard overhead amount as specified in § 416.120(c) of this chapter, except that, for screening flexible sigmoidoscopies and screening colonoscopies, Part B coinsurance is 25 percent of the standard overhead amount and Medicare Part B pays 75 percent of the standard overhead amount.
(2) For ASC services furnished on or after January 1, 2008, in connection with the covered surgical procedures specified in § 416.166 of this subchapter, except as provided in paragraphs (i)(2)(i), (i)(2)(ii), and (l) of this section, Medicare Part B pays the lesser of 80 percent of the actual charge or 80 percent of the prospective payment amount, geographically adjusted, if applicable, as determined under Subpart F of Part 416 of this subchapter. Part B coinsurance is 20 percent of the actual charge or 20 percent of the prospective payment amount, geographically adjusted, if applicable
(i) If the limitation described in § 416.167(b)(3) of this subchapter applies, Medicare pays 80 percent of the amount determined under Subpart B of Part 414 of this subchapter and Part B coinsurance is 20 percent of the applicable payment amount, except as provided in paragraph (l) of this section.
(ii) Between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010, Medicare Part B pays 75 percent of the applicable payment amount for screening flexible sigmoidoscopies and screening colonoscopies, and Part B coinsurance is 25 percent of the applicable payment amount.
(j) Amount of payment: services of Federally funded health facilities prior to October 1, 1991. Medicare Part B pays 80 percent of charges related to the reasonable costs that a Federally funded health facility incurs in furnishing the services. See § 411.8(b)(6) of this chapter.
(k) Amount of payment: Outpatient CAH services. (1) Payment for CAH outpatient services is the reasonable cost of the CAH in providing these services, as determined in accordance with section 1861(v)(1)(A) of the Act, with § 413.70(b) and (c) of this chapter, and with the applicable principles of cost reimbursement in part 413 and in part 415 of this chapter.
(2) Payment for CAH outpatient services is subject to the applicable Medicare Part B deductible and coinsurance amounts, except as described in § 413.70(b)(2)(iii) of this chapter, with Part B coinsurance being calculated as 20 percent of the customary (insofar as reasonable) charges of the CAH for the services.
(l) Amount of payment: Preventive services. Except as provided otherwise in this paragraph, Medicare Part B pays 100 percent of the Medicare payment amount established under the applicable payment methodology for the service furnished by a provider or supplier for the following preventive services:
(1) Pneumococcal, influenza, hepatitis B, and COVID-19 vaccine and administration.
(2) Screening mammography.
(3) Screening pap tests and screening pelvic exam.
(4) Prostate cancer screening tests (excluding digital rectal examinations).
(5) Colorectal cancer screening tests (excluding barium enemas).
(i) For the colorectal cancer screening tests described in § 410.37(j), Medicare Part B pays at the specified percentage as follows:
(A) 80 percent for CY 2022.
(B) 85 percent for CY 2023 through 2026.
(C) 90 percent for 2027 through 2029.
(D) 100 percent beginning January 1, 2030.
(ii) [Reserved]
(6) Bone mass measurement.
(7) Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) services.
(8) Cardiovascular screening blood tests.
(9) Diabetes screening tests.
(10) Ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
(11) Additional preventive services identified for coverage through the national coverage determination (NCD) process.
(12) Initial Preventive Physical Examination (IPPE).
(13) Annual Wellness Visit (AWV), providing Personalized Prevention Plan Services (PPPS).
(m) Amount of payment: Rebatable drugs. In the case of a rebatable drug (as defined in section 1847A(i)(2)(A) of the Act), including a selected drug (as defined in section 1192(c) of the Act), furnished by providers on or after April 1, 2023, in a calendar quarter during which the payment amount for such drug as specified in section 1847A(i)(3)(A)(ii)(I)(aa) or (bb), as applicable, exceeds the inflation-adjusted amount (as defined in section 1847A(i)(3)(C) of the Act) for such drug, Medicare Part B pays, subject to the deductible, the difference between the allowed payment amount determined under section 1847A of the Act and 20 percent of the inflation-adjusted amount, which is applied as a percent to the payment amount for such calendar quarter.
(n) Amount of payment: Insulin furnished through an item of durable medical equipment. For insulin furnished on or after July 1, 2023 through an item of durable medical equipment (as defined in § 414.202), Medicare Part B pays the difference between the applicable payment amount for such insulin and the coinsurance amount, with the coinsurance amount not to exceed $35 for a month's supply.