Advance care planning

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers voluntary advance care planning as part of your yearly “Wellness” visit. Medicare may also cover this service as part of your medical treatment.

Your costs in Original Medicare

You pay nothing for this planning if your doctor or other health care provider accepts assignment and it's part of your yearly “Wellness” visit. If you get it as part of other medical treatment, the Part B deductible and coinsurance apply.

What it is

This is planning for care you would get if you became unable to speak for yourself. As part of advance care planning, you may choose to complete an advance directive. This is an important legal document that records your wishes about medical treatment in the future, if you can’t make decisions about your care.

Advance directives include 2 parts:

  1. Your health care proxy (sometimes called “durable power of attorney”), which names someone you trust to make decisions about your health if you can’t.
  2. Your living will, which describes which treatment(s) you want if your life is threatened, including dialysis, breathing machines, resuscitation, and tube feeding. It also states if you want your organs or tissues donated after you die.

You can talk about an advance directive with an attorney or your health care provider, and either can help you fill out the forms, if you prefer. You can update your advance directive at any time.

Consider carefully who you want to speak for you and what directions you want to give. You have the right to carry out your plans as you choose without discrimination based on your age or disability.

Things to know

For help with advance directives: