Does Medicare cover fasting lipid panels?

There are different rules of coverage, depending on the situation of the patient. • Lipid evaluation as a screening test: A patient entitled to Medicare Part B may receive coverage of screening blood tests for the early detection of cardiovascular disease in individuals without signs or symptoms of heart disease and stroke. This Medicare cardiovascular screening benefit includes coverage of the use of three screening blood tests, a total cholesterol, a HDL, cholesterol, and a triglycerides tests (performed after a 12-hour fasting period) ordered individually or together as a lipid panel (CPT code 80061). Frequency of coverage is limited to either each individual test or 1 lipid panel every 5 years. If any abnormal value is obtained in performing these screening tests, further testing may be covered under the diagnostic clinical laboratory benefit, if it is ordered by the patient's physician and the local Medicare contractor determines that it is medically necessary for the patient in ...