Does Medicare Cover STD Testing in 2026?

Quick answer: Yes — free, with conditions. Part B covers screenings for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and/or hepatitis B once every 12 months if you're pregnant or at increased risk, plus up to 2 behavioral counseling sessions a year. You pay $0 when the provider accepts assignment.

Does Original Medicare cover STD/STI testing?

Yes — $0 once a year if you're at increased risk

Original Medicare rule · verify your plan at Medicare.gov

Medicare Part B covers sexually transmitted infection screenings for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and/or hepatitis B. You can get one screening every 12 months, or at certain times during pregnancy, if you're pregnant or at increased risk for an STI. Part B also covers up to 2 individual, 20- to 30-minute, face-to-face high-intensity behavioral counseling sessions each year if you're a sexually active adult at increased risk. Your provider has to order the screening or refer you for the counseling, and the counseling must be given by a primary care provider in a primary care setting like a doctor's office. You pay nothing when your primary care doctor or provider accepts assignment.

Medicare Advantage: what some plans add

Medicare Advantage plans must cover the same screenings and counseling at $0 in-network — it's a required preventive benefit, not a plan extra. The usual MA catch applies: use an in-network lab and in-network primary care provider, or the $0 can turn into a bill.

Who this matters to

Anyone on Medicare who is pregnant or whose provider determines they're at increased risk. This is a risk-gated benefit rather than an automatic yearly test, so the determination has to be documented. The counseling half is the part almost nobody uses — it only pays in a primary care setting, not at a specialist or standalone clinic.

What does Medicare cost you in 2026?

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 →

Frequently asked questions

How often does Medicare cover STD testing?

Once every 12 months, or at certain times during pregnancy, if you're pregnant or at increased risk for a sexually transmitted infection. The screenings covered are chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and/or hepatitis B, and your provider has to order the test.

Is STD testing free with Medicare?

Yes, you pay nothing for the covered screening when your primary care doctor or provider accepts assignment. The same goes for up to 2 face-to-face behavioral counseling sessions each year, each 20 to 30 minutes, given in a primary care setting.

Related Medicare coverage & tools

Does Medicare cover alcohol misuse screening and counseling?

Yes — $0, 1 screening + up to 4 sessions a year.

Does Medicare cover depression screening?

Yes — $0 once a year in a primary care setting.

Does Medicare cover dental?

Dental, vision & hearing under Original Medicare vs Advantage.

Medigap Plans Explained

How supplement plans cover the 20% Original Medicare leaves you.

Comparing plans this year?

Coverage gaps in Original Medicare — like STD/STI testing — 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 →

Official sources

This answer is based on U.S. government Medicare coverage rules:

Medicare.gov — STI screenings & counseling