Medicare to Cover Smoking Cessation

Medicare to Cover Smoking Cessation: Good news for seniors who want to quit smoking: Medicare will now cover tobacco cessation counseling. Previously, Medicare only covered smoking cessation counseling if a recipient had already been diagnosed with a tobacco-related disease or showed symptoms of such a disease. All Medicare beneficiaries already have access to smoking-cessation prescription medication through Medicare's prescription drug program, Part D. Under the new coverage -- which applies to Medicare Part A and Part B -- any Medicare beneficiary who smokes will be able to receive counseling from a "qualified physician or other Medicare-recognized practitioner" who can help them quit smoking. The benefit will cover up to two separate tobacco cessation attempts per year -- and each stint in stop-smoking counseling can include up to four sessions.