Medicare Health Programs: What's Included and How to Use Them

In this article: 

• Medicare can help pay for hospital stays and doctor’s visits, but it also covers a range of preventive care to keep you healthy.
• Many preventive programs and services are completely free to eligible Medicare enrollees with no co-pays or deductibles. 
• The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is an example of a Medicare program that’s available at no cost to eligible enrollees. Designed to lower diabetes risk among Medicare enrollees with prediabetes or high blood sugar, MDPP is a program that supports healthy lifestyle changes like weight loss and increased physical activity. 
• Medicare covers preventive programs like annual wellness visits, vaccines, and screenings are additional preventive services that are covered by Medicare. Some members may also be eligible for tobacco cessation programs, mental health screenings, medical nutrition therapy, and intensive obesity treatment. 
• Consider asking your healthcare provider about your prediabetes risk and whether you should be screened. 
• It takes just a few minutes to check eligibility for Lark and to enroll if you’re eligible.
• Eligible Medicare enrollees can participate in Lark’s MDPP using a smartphone. Lark is available 24/7 for coaching, support, encouragement, and information. 

Medicare can help out with costs of doctor visits, hospital stays, emergency room visits, and prescription drugs. But Medicare also offers preventive care to help you stay healthy, active, and independent as you age - like the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program to make lifestyle changes to help prevent or delay the onset of diabetes if you have prediabetes. 

If you are enrolled in Original Medicare Part B or a Medicare Advantage plan, you may already qualify for several specialized wellness programs at no extra out-of-pocket cost. Despite these valuable coverage perks, many beneficiaries miss out simply because they don't know these programs exist or how to access them.

When you are enrolled in Original Medicare (Part B) or a private Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), some preventive services are available to you with $0 copay or deductible. The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is one of these services for eligible seniors with prediabetes - or high blood sugar and risk for developing diabetes. Other examples of covered services in Medicare are annual wellness visits, diabetes screening, medical nutrition therapy, intensive obesity therapy, tobacco cessation programs, and mental health and behavioral screening. 

Here’s information about important Medicare health programs that are available at cost to eligible enrollees. For many programs, like the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), it’s easy to check if you’re eligible and to enroll. Lark’s MDPP is even available online - so you can check eligibility, enroll, and complete the ongoing lifestyle program from your home.

Overview of Medicare Preventive Health Programs

Medicare health programs include preventive care and lifestyle programs to help you stay healthy before problems start. Many of them are available at no cost to eligible members in Medicare Part B (Original Medicare) and Medicare Advantage (Part C). Preventive programs may focus on everyday health - like eating well, managing your weight, getting help to quit smoking, and preventing conditions like type 2 diabetes among high-risk enrollees.

While Original Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage both cover many preventive services at no extra cost to members, exact details and extra perks can depend on your specific Medicare plan. In addition to regular health screenings and an annual wellness visit - a time to see your doctor and discuss your health - Medicare covers many ongoing programs to help you make healthy life changes designed to keep you healthier as long as possible. 

Below are some of the main health and lifestyle programs Medicare offers:

Note that coverage and eligibility requirements vary by Medicare coverage. Some services are covered under Original Medicare (Part B), while others may also be included in Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. Check your plan details or speak with your healthcare provider to learn what's available to you.

Spotlight: The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program

The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is an example of a Medicare health program that’s preventive and ongoing. It is an evidence-based lifestyle program - meaning no prescription drugs, shots, or extreme measures - just changes in everyday lifestyle habits that can help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Focuses include balanced eating, regular physical activity, stress management, and adequate sleep using gradual approaches that can fit into your regular routine.

Half of Older Adults Have Prediabetes

This program is especially important because about half of all adults over age 65 have prediabetes - maybe even you or someone you know - even if you’ve never thought about prediabetes or blood sugar. That’s a figure from the National Diabetes Statistics Report. More than 3 out of 4 seniors with prediabetes don’t know that they have it - it rarely has noticeable symptoms - but it’s worth testing blood sugar to know if you have prediabetes. A program like the MDPP can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. 

A Research-Backed Lifestyle Change Program

Research shows that lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on blood sugar. Changes don’t have to be dramatic to make a difference. In a landmark study, described in the Lancet, that was foundational for the MDPP, participants had goals of losing a modest amount of weight - 5-7% of initial body weight - and achieving general guidelines for aerobic exercise, or 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity like brisk walking. 

Over 3 years, adults in the landmark study who had prediabetes dropped their risk for developing diabetes in the next three years by 58%. Even more striking was that older adults had a greater benefit: a 71% reduction in their risk of developing diabetes! In addition, lifestyle changes appeared more effective than just taking a medication like metformin. 

How the MDPP Works

Do lifestyle changes sound tough? The MDPP is designed to support you every step of the way. It’s a structured year-long program with these elements. 

• Goals to lose a modest 5% of your body weight and build up to at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity like hiking, brisk walking, or swimming.
• Helpful curriculum on a variety of nutrition and exercise topics, plus extra help with things like motivation, sleep, and stress management. The material is divided into sessions, and you’ll get information and practical tips. 
• Steady support throughout the program. An in-person program may have a coach for you to talk to at each session, while a digital program like Lark may have more flexibility in how and when you access your digital coach and a live lifestyle coach.

You don’t have to make changes on your own. The MDPP is there to support you, and you can participate from your home with Lark MDPP if you’re eligible.

Who Qualifies for Medicare Health Programs?

Each Medicare health program has its own set of eligibility requirements to qualify to pay $0. Some programs are open to nearly all Medicare enrollees, while others have stricter requirements for eligibility. It’s best to check your healthcare provider or insurer, and to check your plan’s paperwork to see what your Medicare plan covers. 

• Taking MDPP as an example, here are the basic eligibility requirements. 
• Enrolled in Medicare Part B or a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Specific body mass index (BMI) thresholds indicating overweight or obese.
• Lab test results indicating prediabetes (e.g., HbA1c between 5.7% and 6.4%) within the last 12 months.
• No prior diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes or end-stage renal disease (ESRD)

It’s important to realize that in 2026, Medicare allows fully remote MDPP - like digital programs like Lark. That means you can enroll and participate using your smartphone without having to attend in-person sessions at prescheduled times.

Not sure what to ask about? Here are some considerations that you can ask your doctor about when thinking about Medicare Health Programs.

See If You Qualify at No Cost to You

Lark's Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program offers personal health coaching delivered right to your phone - built around the same CDC-recognized program that showed a 71% risk reduction in adults over 60. There is no cost to eligible Medicare members. 

Lark can help you stay on track with your weight and health goals as you log, track, and chat. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark MDPP or another Lark program today!

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