Hypertension, or high blood pressure, puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke — the leading causes of death in the U.S. High blood pressure is a primary or contributing cause of death for over a half-million people and costs the U.S. about $131 billion per year.
Monitoring your blood pressure can help you stay on top of any creeping hypertension. Medicare coverage for blood pressure monitors differs depending on whether the monitor is used in-office or at home with you.
Medicare Coverage for In-Office Blood Pressure Monitoring
During your Annual Wellness Visit or if you’re admitted to the hospital, you’ll typically have your blood pressure taken with a “cuff” monitor. Medicare Part A helps to cover the cost of hospital care, and Medicare Part B covers preventative care — and both include blood pressure monitoring. (Medicare.org )
If you’ve had Medicare Part B for longer than 12 months, you can call your doctor to schedule your yearly wellness visit. Medicare only covers these in-home cuff blood pressure monitors under specific circumstances.
Medicare Coverage for In-Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
If you receive dialysis treatment at home, Medicare may cover a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope for in-home use throughout treatment.
Sometimes, a physician may have reason to believe your in-office blood pressure reading was inflated and they might get a better reading while you’re more comfortable at home. If this happens, Medicare can cover an Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM ) device, which takes several blood pressure readings over 24 hours.
For those who would still like an at-home blood pressure monitor for more frequent tracking, you can get a reliable monitor for as low as $30 .
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