Short answer up top, then the exact rule. Here's what Original Medicare does and doesn't cover for prostate cancer screening in 2026 — and where a Medicare Advantage plan can fill the gap.
Quick answer: Yes. Part B covers a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test once a year for men over 50, and you pay nothing for the test. The digital rectal exam is also covered once a year, but for that you pay 20% after the Part B deductible.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans cover the yearly PSA screening at $0 like Original Medicare when you use an in-network provider. Cost-sharing on the digital rectal exam and any follow-up depends on the plan, so confirm your copays in-network.
Men on Medicare over 50 who want routine prostate screening. The main things to know: the PSA blood test is free once a year, the digital rectal exam carries the usual 20% coinsurance, and a follow-up test ordered because of symptoms is billed as diagnostic, not screening.
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 →Nothing, for the covered yearly screening — you pay $0 for the PSA blood test itself, and the Part B deductible doesn't apply. If a PSA is ordered to investigate symptoms rather than as a routine screening, it's diagnostic and may cost 20% after the deductible.
Yes, once every 12 months for men over 50 as part of prostate screening. Unlike the PSA test, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible, plus a hospital copay if it's done in an outpatient hospital setting.
Coverage gaps in Original Medicare — like prostate 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: