Yes, Medicare generally covers medically necessary CT scans, primarily under Part B for outpatient scans (after the deductible, you pay 20%) or Part A if you're an inpatient, with specific criteria for preventive ones like lung cancer screenings; Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans also cover them, but costs vary, so checking your plan is key.
Effective October 1, 2025, Wellcare is notifying all participating Medicare providers that prior authorization will no longer be required for a series of computed tomography (CT) and transthoracic echocardiogram procedure codes.
Medicare covers CT scans when medically necessary. Medicare Part A will cover the costs if a person stays in the hospital, hospice, or skilled nursing facility as an inpatient. Medicare Part B covers a scan when a person receives it as an outpatient.
A CT scan in Minnesota can range widely, from around $120 for a basic bone density scan to potentially over $1,000 for more complex scans like abdomen/pelvis with contrast, with Minneapolis often having higher prices (around $600-$700+) compared to other regions like Red Wing (closer to $500-$600), depending heavily on the body part, facility, and if contrast is used, so shopping around via sites like MDsave or New Choice Health is key.
Diagnostic imaging
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) nuclear medicine scans like positron emission tomography (PET) ultrasounds. computed tomography (CT) scans.
Generally, most vision, dental and hearing services are not covered by Medicare Parts A and B. Other services not covered by Medicare Parts A and B include: Routine physical exams. Cosmetic surgery.
Some pathology tests don't qualify for a Medicare benefit and the patient must pay the full fee. Examples include elective cosmetic surgery, insurance testing and some genetic tests.
Talk with your provider about ways to pay for CT scans. You may be able to pay with your health insurance, out of pocket or with the CareCredit credit card. * Some imaging centers may also offer in-house financing or payment plans.
MRIs are more expensive than CT scans. Most insurance companies, however, will cover the bulk of any necessary imaging tests and only require patients to pay a copay or small portion of the exam.
Part B covers specific diagnostic tests, including CT scans. Your share of the cost is the Part B deductible and the 20% coinsurance payment. If your doctor sends you to the outpatient department of a hospital for the test, the outpatient facility may also charge you a copayment.
The average cost for a CT scan varies significantly, typically ranging from $300 to over $6,000 without insurance, with many patients paying around $300-$800 out-of-pocket with insurance, while uninsured individuals might expect closer to $2,000 or more, depending on location, body part, contrast use, and whether it's at a hospital or independent center, with hospital scans often being more expensive.
Computerised tomography (CT)
CT scans are the most common type of brain scan used in dementia diagnosis. They are useful for ruling out other conditions that cause similar symptoms to dementia and at showing changes to brain structure that occur in diseases like Alzheimer's. CT scans can show: stroke related damage.
The majority of insurance companies require CT referrals to confirm that a CT scan is necessary for the patient's health and wellness, so it is likely that you will need to send the referral to your insurer for approval before scheduling a CT with a medical imaging facility.
No, Original Medicare (Parts A & B) generally does not cover routine dental care like cleanings, fillings, or dentures, but it does cover dental services needed as part of a covered hospital stay or linked to other Medicare-approved treatments (like heart transplants, kidney dialysis, or cancer care). Most seniors get dental coverage through Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, which often include routine dental, vision, and hearing benefits for an extra premium.
Starting January 2026, Original Medicare will require prior authorization for select Part B services in Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington, as part of a new pilot program by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (CMS). This six-year "WISeR" model (Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction) aims to reduce unnecessary care by using AI for reviews on about 17 outpatient procedures, including some neurological and skin treatments.
Generally, CT scans are better at spatial resolution, while MRIs are better at contrast resolution. That means CT scans are good at showing us where the edges of things are — where this structure ends and that other one begins.
About NDI CT Reading Services
Remote CT reading and diagnostic image interpretation service prices start at $40 per study dependent upon volume. NDI radiology reading fees start at $12 per study.
What does a CT scan show?
Our Medical Radiology provides free x-ray, ultrasound*, OPG and CT scans to patients with a Medicare card. We are a nib first choice provider and accept all imaging referrals. Find our quality radiology clinic near you.
The most common reasons for a CT scan are to diagnose internal injuries from trauma, detect and locate tumors, infections, and blood clots, and guide medical procedures like surgery or biopsies, with emergency trauma and abdominal pain being leading drivers, helping doctors quickly find internal bleeding or issues like appendicitis. CT scans provide detailed cross-sectional images, making them ideal for emergencies and for viewing complex areas like the head, chest, abdomen, and spine to find the source of pain or disease.
Go to www.medicare.gov and click on the blue box in the header “What Medicare Covers”. Fill in the name of your procedure in the “Is my test, item, or service covered?” field. Hopefully, that will provide the answer you need.
Some of the items and services Medicare doesn't cover include: