Medicare Tobacco Cessation Benefits

Medicare provides coverage for smoking and other tobacco use counseling for participants who meet one of the following criteria:

• use tobacco and have a disease or an adverse health effect that has been found by the U.S. Surgeon General to be linked to tobacco use; or
• are taking a therapeutic agent whose metabolism or dosing is affected by tobacco use as based on Food and Drug Administration-approved information

Medicare will cover two cessation attempts per year. Each attempt may include a maximum of four counseling sessions. The total annual benefit covers up to eight smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling sessions in a 12-month period.

Medicare's prescription drug benefit also covers smoking and tobacco use cessation agents prescribed by a physician.

For additional information about this benefit, visit the Medicare website or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

What to tell your patients about smoking