Medicare Part B is known as your medical coverage. It helps pay for outpatient and physician services, as well as many preventive services that can catch health issues early or help you avoid them altogether.

Part B covers two main types of care:

• Medically necessary services – Services or supplies needed to diagnose or treat a condition, based on accepted standards of medical practice.

• Preventive services – Routine care like screenings and vaccines to prevent illness or detect problems early. You usually pay nothing for these services if your provider accepts Medicare assignment.

Examples of what Part B covers include:

• Doctor visits – Includes outpatient visits and doctors who treat you in the hospital (even though the hospital stay itself is Part A).

• Outpatient surgery – Medical procedures that don’t require an overnight hospital stay.

• Clinical research – Participation in qualifying clinical trials.

• Ambulance services – Emergency transportation when other options would put your health at risk.

• Durable medical equipment (DME) – Items like wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen, or CPAP machines, when prescribed for use at home.

• Mental health care – Includes outpatient therapy, inpatient psychiatric care, and partial hospitalization programs.

• Second opinions before surgery – Medicare may cover a second (and sometimes third) opinion before certain procedures.

• Limited outpatient prescription drugs – Such as some cancer drugs, injectables, or medications given in a clinical setting.