Short answer up top, then the exact rule. Here's what Original Medicare does and doesn't cover for a lung cancer screening in 2026 — and where a Medicare Advantage plan can fill the gap.
Quick answer: Yes. Part B covers a yearly low-dose CT scan to screen for lung cancer, and you pay nothing when your provider accepts assignment. You have to meet the age and smoking-history rules and first have a counseling visit with your doctor.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans must cover this preventive screening at $0 when you use an in-network provider and meet the eligibility rules — but they can require you to stay in network and, in some cases, get prior authorization for the CT. Check your plan first.
Current and former heavy smokers ages 50–77 with no lung-cancer symptoms. The things to get right: meeting the pack-year and quit-date rules, the counseling visit before your first scan, and using a provider who accepts assignment so it stays free.
See the current Part A, Part B, and Part D numbers — premiums, deductibles, and the new drug cap — in one place. Free, no signup.
See 2026 Medicare Costs →Once every 12 months for people who meet the eligibility rules. It's a screening for people without symptoms — if you have symptoms, your doctor may order a diagnostic scan instead, which is billed differently and may cost 20% after the Part B deductible.
A pack-year is smoking an average of one pack a day for one year. A 20-pack-year history could be one pack a day for 20 years, or two packs a day for 10 years. You need at least 20 pack-years to qualify.
Coverage gaps in Original Medicare — like a lung cancer screening — are exactly what a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan is meant to fill. Our free Enrollment Finder shows the window you can switch in, and the guide library walks through the trade-offs. This page is free to share with anyone weighing their options.
Open the Enrollment Finder →This answer is based on U.S. government Medicare coverage rules: