Does Medicare Cover Chest X-rays?

Medicare Benefits Solutions
Feb 2, 2021

Medicare provides benefits for many diagnostic services such as chest x-rays. In order to get coverage the testing and imaging services must be medically necessary in order to:

  • diagnose a health condition
  • monitor a health condition
  • Treat an illness or health condition

Medicare Covers Many Diagnostic Services

Even with all of the innovation that has taken place in advanced medical imaging technology over the years, the humble and time-tested x-ray is still a crucial diagnostic tool when it comes to getting an inside look at the human body.

X-rays are used across a variety of medical specialties to diagnose everything from pneumonia to broken bones, and chest x-rays are among some of the most common types of x-rays taken today. In many cases, x-ray imaging will be ordered if a physician suspects a morphological change within the body, including when things like cancer cause tumors to appear within lung tissue.

TIP: Sign up for the Medicare Benefits newsletter to get more of your imaging and diagnostic testing-related questions answered.

How Do X-rays Work?

X-rays utilize radiation at low levels that are directed toward parts of the body to be examined. In order for an x-ray image to be displayed, the part of the body being imaged will need to be placed in front of a detector that recognizes and translates the x-rays into light.

When an x-ray image is taken, dense areas will appear lighter while less dense areas will appear darker. When examined by a technician or specialist, abnormalities can be documented to aid in the treatment of injury or disease.

Does Medicare Cover Chest X-rays?

If your physician or specialist orders chest x-rays to be taken, you’ll likely have them completed in your doctor’s office or at an imaging center. Medicare recipients should be able to receive coverage for x-rays through Medicare Part B, the outpatient benefit.

Medicare x-ray coverage at a glance:

  • Medicare Part B typically covers 80% of the cost of x-rays
  • You are responsible for any deductibles
  • You must cover any coinsurance costs

Although this coverage is fairly universal across all Medicare plans, it’s important to note that not all imaging centers are Medicare-approved, and some imaging technologies are not covered by Medicare. As a result, it’s always best to check with your Medicare plan manager prior to having x-rays taken to ensure that you will be covered.

If x-rays are taken as part of your treatment or monitoring while hospitalized or admitted to a skilled nursing facility, the cost will likely be covered by Medicare Part A, the inpatient benefit. If, however, specialists or equipment are brought in from outside of the facility, billing may occur separately under Medicare Part B for these services.

TIP: Find out which Medicare plans offer additional benefits including diagnostic and imaging services and compare them against your existing coverage.

Find a new Medicare plan

Get recommendations based on what's important to you, and compare them to your existing plan.

Does Medicare Advantage Cover Chest X-rays?

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage of x-ray imaging should meet at least the minimum coverage requirements as set forth by Original Medicare, meaning your chest x-rays should still be covered. With a Medicare Advantage plan, you may also be entitled to additional benefits that are unique to your plan and your plan provider.

These benefits may include the ability to seek diagnostic care through a wider network of providers, but you may also be able to receive advanced imaging at a discount in addition to your x-rays. Once again, your benefits are dependent upon your plan, so review your plan materials carefully to fully understand your benefits.

TIP: Discover the top 7 reasons to switch your Medicare Advantage plan.

Got questions?

Call a licensed sales agent at

877-406-1753 or TTY 771

Mon – Fri 5am – 6pm PT | Sat 5am – 5pm PT | Sunday   Closed

Send us a message

We aim to reply within 24 hours.



    Medicare Benefits Solutions is a non-government website. This is a solicitation for insurance. By submitting information on this site, I am providing my written consent for Medicare Benefits Solutions, herein after referred to as “Medicare Benefits”, which is a brand operated by HealthCompare Insurance Services Inc., its sales agents, or affiliates to contact me (even if I’m on a state or national do not call registry) at the phone number or email address listed to provide me with quotes or information about Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Medicare Part D plans. I further consent to such calls or texts sent via autodialer, automated technology, prerecorded message and/or artificial voice. I understand my consent is not a condition of purchase and that I can revoke my consent at any time via medicarebenefits.com/about-us/contact-us. Additional charges may apply to SMS, call, or Internet usage depending on your data providers.

    Find a plan

    Get plan recommendations

    Compare your current Medicare plan to our recommendations – then choose the plan that gives you more of the things you want.

    Find a new Medicare plan

    Click here to find out more

    Get a plan recommendation based on what's important to you.