Diabetes Screening Blood Test: Medicare Coverage and Cost
Also called: blood sugar test · fasting plasma glucose · FPG · glucose test — all the same test, CPT 82947 (related codes: 82948, 82962).
National policy — the same Medicare rules apply in every state what's this?
This test is governed by a National Coverage Determination (NCD) — a rule issued by CMS, the federal agency that runs Medicare. It spells out which diagnoses justify the test and any frequency limits, it applies identically in all 50 states, and no regional contractor can override it. What you read on this page is the rule everywhere.
- Does Medicare cover it?
- Yes — with frequency limits
- You pay if covered
- $0 — no deductible, no coinsurance
- Medicare pays the lab
- $3.93
- Information verified
- 2026-09-17
Buy it yourself — what you'd really pay
| Where | Test price | Fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ulta Lab Tests ultalabtests.com Partner link — we earn a commission if you order. No extra cost to you. | $5.95 | $12.95 draw fee — one per order, covers every test on it | $18.90 |
| Jason Health jasonhealth.com · plasma glucose | $5 | $18 one fee per order — covers every test on it | $23 |
| Labcorp ondemand.labcorp.com · fasting glucose test | $39 | — | $39 |
| Personalabs personalabs.com · price includes the draw; not a partner — we earn nothing from this row | $49.70 | — | $49.70 |
Disclosure: the Ulta Lab Tests link above is a partner link. If you order through it, ClaraCover earns a commission. It costs you nothing extra, and it never changes what we tell you about Medicare coverage.
The short answer
Yes — up to twice every 12 months, at $0, and since 2024 you get to use the convenient test. Medicare’s diabetes screening benefit covers blood-sugar screening for people at risk — and the risk list is broad enough (being 65 or older is on it, along with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and family history) that most Medicare patients qualify. The 2024 rule change did two big things: it simplified the frequency to a flat 2 screenings per 12 months, and it added the A1c — a no-fasting test — alongside the traditional fasting glucose. Deductible and coinsurance are waived.
When Medicare DOES cover it
- Screening, no diabetes diagnosed: up to 2 tests every 12 months for anyone with a qualifying risk factor. Your doctor can order a fasting glucose (this page’s CPT 82947), an A1c, or a glucose-tolerance test — all count under the same benefit.
- Already diagnosed with diabetes? Different, more generous rules: glucose testing for managing diabetes falls under Medicare’s national diagnostic policy, and A1c monitoring runs about every 3 months — see our A1c page.
When Medicare does NOT cover it
- A third screening within 12 months — the calendar is the whole rule. Screening and diagnosis are different lanes, though: new symptoms (excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss) justify diagnostic testing at any time.
What you pay if it IS covered: $0
The screening benefit explicitly waives the deductible and coinsurance, and covered lab tests cost Medicare patients nothing anyway. Medicare pays the lab $3.93 for a glucose test — one of the cheapest tests in the entire fee schedule — and you owe zero.
What it costs to buy yourself
Between screenings, a plain glucose test costs $5 at Jason Health (jasonhealth.com — add their flat $18 lab-collection fee per order) or $39 at Labcorp OnDemand (Quest’s consumer site sells only larger diabetes panels). Honestly, if you’re buying out of pocket, consider the A1c instead — it needs no fasting and reads your 3-month average; see the A1c page for its prices from $15.
What counts as a “normal” blood sugar result
Start with the range printed on your own report. Blood sugar is one of the few tests with national diagnostic cut-offs, published by the American Diabetes Association and used the same way everywhere.
| Fasting plasma glucose | What the ADA calls it |
|---|---|
| Below 100 mg/dL | Normal |
| 100 – 125 mg/dL | Prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose) |
| 126 mg/dL and above | Diabetes range |
If your test was a 2-hour glucose tolerance test instead, the equivalent bands are 140–199 mg/dL for prediabetes and 200 mg/dL or above for the diabetes range.
A single high number is not a diagnosis. The ADA states that “diagnosis requires two abnormal results from different tests… or the same test at two different time points.”
Source: American Diabetes Association, Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025
(Where lab ranges and “optimal” ranges come from, and who decides.)
This page can tell you where those numbers came from. It cannot tell you what yours means — that reading belongs to your doctor, alongside your history and your other results.
Quick questions people ask
How often will Medicare pay for a diabetes screening? Twice every 12 months, at $0, for people with a risk factor — and age 65+ is a risk factor, so nearly every Medicare patient qualifies. Track your dates: a third test inside the window is the one that generates a bill.
Do you have to fast for a diabetes blood test? Depends which test: the traditional fasting glucose — yes, typically 8+ hours, water only. The A1c — no fasting at all, which is exactly why the 2024 change matters: if fasting is a hardship, ask your doctor to screen with the A1c instead. See our guide to fasting before blood work.
Can you test for diabetes at home? You can buy a fingerstick glucose meter at any pharmacy without a prescription, and home A1c kits exist — fine for curiosity, but readings vary and a diagnosis needs a lab result anyway. The practical answer: Medicare’s lab screening is free twice a year, and a lab test bought directly costs as little as $23 all-in. Home meters shine for people who already have diabetes and need daily tracking.
What’s the difference between fasting glucose, random glucose, and A1c? Fasting glucose is a snapshot after 8 hours without food; random glucose is a snapshot at any time (useful with symptoms); the A1c is the 3-month average. Different tests, different codes, different prices — all can screen, and your doctor picks based on your situation.
Sources and data dates
Screening rules: CMS MLN Matters MM13487 implementing the CY2024 Physician Fee Schedule final rule (2 screenings per 12 months; deductible and coinsurance waived; A1c added). Diagnostic glucose coverage: CMS Medicare Coverage Database, NCD 190.20. Medicare payment amount: CMS Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, 2026 Q3 file. Consumer prices checked September 2026. Information current as of the date shown above; coverage is always determined by Medicare when your claim is processed.
ClaraCover provides information, not medical, billing, or insurance advice. Talk to your doctor about what tests you need.
Covered diagnoses for CPT 82947
Medicare's national rule for this test, NCD 190.20, Blood Glucose Testing, comes with a list of 2,575 ICD-10 diagnosis codes that support it (CMS's laboratory code list, updated every quarter). In plain English, the covered situations are the ones described on this page. A claim whose diagnosis is on the list pays; a claim without one is denied as not medically necessary unless another provision of the rule applies.
Billing office? The full list, a batch check, and no daily limit are what we are building for you: tell us you want it. For why lab tests are the one place Medicare gives a straight answer, see what "reasonable and necessary" means.