South Carolina Insurance Practice Exam

What does Medicare Part B primarily cover?

1. Hospital stays

2. Doctor's charges

3. Prescription drugs

4. Preventive services

The correct answer is: Doctor's charges

Medicare Part B primarily covers doctor's charges, which includes services rendered by physicians, outpatient care, diagnostic tests, and certain preventive services. This part of Medicare focuses on medically necessary services provided outside of a hospital setting. In practical terms, this means that if you visit your doctor for a check-up, receive treatment for a medical condition, or undergo lab tests, those expenses would typically be covered under Part B. Hospital stays are covered under Medicare Part A, which is designed for inpatient care, while prescription drugs are generally covered under Part D, the Medicare prescription drug plan. Preventive services, although important and partially included under Part B, are a smaller aspect of what the coverage entails. Therefore, the focus of Part B is not solely on preventive services, but rather on a broader spectrum of outpatient healthcare provided by doctors, which makes it the correct answer to this question.