How to Get Free Preventive Care: Screenings, Vaccines and Checkups

Many screenings, vaccines, and checkups that catch health problems early are available at no cost to you, but millions of people skip them because they assume they’ll get a bill. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), most health plans must cover a list of preventive services without charging a copay, coinsurance, or deductible when you use an in-network provider.

This guide explains which services are covered, how to avoid surprise bills, what Medicare and Medicaid cover, where to go if you’re uninsured, and a step-by-step checklist for your next appointment.

What preventive care is free?

According to HealthCare.gov, these are examples of preventive services covered for adults at no cost when provided by an in-network provider:

Type	Examples
Screenings	Blood pressure, cholesterol, depression, HIV, hepatitis B and C
Cancer screening	Colorectal cancer screening for adults 45 to 75; lung cancer screening for certain current or former heavy smokers 50 to 80
Diabetes	Type 2 diabetes screening for certain adults 40 to 70 with overweight or obesity
Vaccines	Flu, shingles, tetanus, pneumococcal, and other recommended immunizations
Habits	Tobacco use screening and help quitting
Medicine	Statins for certain high-risk adults 40 to 75

There are additional covered services for women and for children, such as well-child visits and many routine screenings. The full lists are on HealthCare.gov.

In June 2025, in Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ACA rule that requires coverage of these services without cost-sharing. Recommendations can still change over time, so check the current list each year.

Which plans have to cover it?

• Marketplace plans from HealthCare.gov or your state.
• Most job-based plans. Some older “grandfathered” plans may not have to follow the rule. Your plan documents will say.
• Medicaid covers preventive care, with details that vary by state.
• Medicare covers many preventive services and a yearly wellness visit (see below).

Short-term health plans and health care sharing ministries generally don’t have to follow these rules.

How to avoid a surprise bill: 6 steps

HealthCare.gov notes that $0 cost isn’t guaranteed in every case. These steps protect you:

1. Use an in-network provider. Check your insurer’s website or call the number on your card before booking.
2. Book it as a preventive visit. When you schedule, say “I’d like to book my annual preventive visit.”
3. Know the difference between preventive and diagnostic care. If you bring up a new problem, such as knee pain, the doctor may bill that part as a regular visit with a copay. You can ask to schedule it separately.
4. Ask before extra tests. “Is this test considered preventive, or will it be billed separately?”
5. Check your Explanation of Benefits after the visit. If a preventive service was billed to you, call the doctor’s office and ask them to check the billing code.
6. Appeal if needed. If your insurer charged you for a covered preventive service, you can file an appeal.

Free preventive care for children

Children have their own list of covered preventive services, which HealthCare.gov publishes alongside the adult list. In general, it includes:

• Regular well-baby and well-child checkups.
• Recommended childhood vaccines.
• Screenings for vision, hearing, and development.
• Behavioral and mental health assessments at different ages.

Children in families with modest incomes may qualify for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), even if the parents don’t. If your child is uninsured, ask your state Medicaid office or a community health center about CHIP.

If you have Medicare: the yearly wellness visit

Medicare Part B covers a yearly “Wellness” visit once every 12 months, and you pay nothing if your provider accepts assignment. The visit includes a health risk questionnaire, a review of your medical history and current medications, a check of cognitive function, and a written prevention checklist with the screenings you’re due for.

Two things to know:

• It is not a routine physical exam. If you need other tests or care during the same visit, you may owe coinsurance or the deductible for those.
• Your first yearly Wellness visit can’t happen within 12 months of enrolling in Part B or of your “Welcome to Medicare” visit.

Use the medication review to ask about cheaper options. Our guide on saving money on prescription drugs explains how.

If you don’t have insurance

• Community health centers serve everyone, even if they can’t pay, and adjust fees based on income and family size. They offer primary care, dental care, and mental health services. Search at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
• Local health departments often offer free or low-cost vaccines and screenings.
• Check Medicaid and the marketplace. You may qualify for Medicaid or for a marketplace plan with premium tax credits, especially after a drop in income. See our guides on Medicaid and our layoff checklist.

Questions to ask at your preventive visit

• “Which screenings am I due for based on my age, sex, and family history?”
• “Which vaccines should I get this year?”
• “Are my blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar in a healthy range, and what should I do if they’re not?”
• “Is anything you’re recommending today going to be billed outside of my preventive visit?”
• “When should I come back?”

Write down the answers or ask for a printed summary, so you know what to schedule next.

Example: getting a full checkup without a bill

Carla, 52, has a marketplace plan with a $3,000 deductible and had been putting off a checkup because she thought she’d pay the full cost. She called her insurer, confirmed her doctor was in network, and booked a preventive visit. At the appointment she got a blood pressure check, cholesterol and diabetes screening, a flu shot, and a referral for colorectal cancer screening, all billed as preventive at $0. When she mentioned ongoing heel pain, the doctor asked whether she wanted to address it that day as a separate visit or schedule it later. She chose to schedule it later, so her preventive visit stayed free.

A simple yearly prevention checklist

• Book your annual preventive visit or Medicare Wellness visit.
• Get your flu shot each fall and ask which other vaccines you’re due for.
• Ask which cancer screenings fit your age and history.
• Know your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers.
• Book a dental cleaning and an eye exam if your coverage includes them. See our guide on reducing eye strain from screens.
• Bring a list of your medicines and questions.