Short answer up top, then the exact rule. Here's what Original Medicare does and doesn't cover for smoking cessation counseling in 2026 — and where a Medicare Advantage plan can fill the gap.
Quick answer: Yes — free. Part B covers counseling to help you quit smoking and prevent tobacco-caused disease — up to 8 face-to-face visits in a 12-month period — and you pay $0 when your provider accepts assignment.
Medicare Advantage plans cover the same tobacco-cessation counseling at $0 in-network as a required preventive benefit. Many plans also promote quit-line and wellness resources — check what your specific plan includes.
Anyone with Medicare who uses tobacco and wants help quitting. Ask your provider to schedule the counseling as the covered preventive benefit so you get the 8 free sessions; prescription medicines to help you quit are handled separately by your drug plan, so confirm those with your Part D or Medicare Advantage plan.
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 →Up to 8 face-to-face counseling sessions in a 12-month period, at $0 when your provider accepts assignment.
No. Medicare covers the counseling as a preventive benefit for people who use tobacco, whether or not you've been diagnosed with a tobacco-related condition.
Coverage gaps in Original Medicare — like smoking cessation counseling — 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: