Original Medicare does not cover funeral expenses. In some cases, your qualified beneficiaries may be able to use Social Security survivor’s benefits or the payout from a Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) to pay for things like funeral costs.
No, Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) does not cover funeral expenses.
If you have a Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA), your surviving spouse could potentially use any leftover funds from your MSA to help pay for costs they face after you’re gone, which could include your funeral expenses.
Does Medicare pay for funeral expenses?
Medicare Advantage plans do not cover funeral costs.
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One type of Medicare Advantage plan is called a Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA). This type of high-deductible Medicare Advantage plan includes a savings account that you can use to pay for qualified healthcare costs.
Each year, Medicare deposits a specific amount of money into your Medical Savings Account. You can use money from your MSA to pay for Medicare-covered services.
If you use money from your MSA to pay for things thataren’t covered by Medicare (such as food or utilities) you will have to pay taxes on the money you take out of your MSA. These costs will not count towards your MSA deductible.
If you pass away, any remaining funds that were deposited in your MSA before the current calendar year become part of your estate. Part of the most recent deposited funds will be repaid back to Medicare.
Money from your estate could theoretically be used to help pay for your funeral expenses. Your beneficiary, however, could potentially have to pay for your funeral costs before receiving any money from your estate.
Am I eligible for a Medical Savings Account (MSA)?
The eligibility criteria for a Medicare Medical Savings Account includes:
You’re eligible for Medicare
You do not have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
You do not have other health insurance
If you are currently enrolled in Original Medicare, you may have to wait until the Medicare Annual Election Period (AEP) to sign up for a Medicare Medical Savings account (if an MSA is available in your area).
The Medicare AEP lasts from October 15 to December 7 every year.
Learn more about Medicare MSA plans and the Medicare Advantage plans that are available near you by speaking with a licensed insurance agent.
Or call 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 24/7 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.
About the author
Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.
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Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.
Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.
Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.
Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.
A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) doesn’t cover routine dental or vision care. 2024 Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans can cover benefits Original Medicare doesn’t cover, but dental and/or hearing benefits may not be available where you live. Learn more and find out how to compare the plans and benefits available in your area.
Medicare Part B may cover emergency ambulance services, and some Medicare Advantage plans may offer non-emergency transportation to plan-approved locations. Learn more about Medicare transportation coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans can offer gym memberships and fitness benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, such as SilverSneakers. Learn how to compare your local plan options and how to find a Medicare Advantage plan that covers fitness benefits.
While Original Medicare (Parts A and B) doesn’t cover hearing aids, Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans can cover hearing benefits Original Medicare doesn’t cover. Hearing benefits may be available where you live, so learn how to find out if Medicare Advantage plans that help pay for hearing aids are available in your area.
Medicare Part B covers annual wellness visits. Medicare Advantage plans also cover annual wellness visits, and many Medicare Advantage plans also offer other wellness benefits not found in Original Medicare.
Medicare Part A does not cover outpatient surgery, but Part B covers medically necessary outpatient surgery. Medicare Advantage plans may also cover outpatient surgery and include an annual out-of-pocket spending limit, which Original Medicare doesn’t offer.
Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans can cover chiropractic care, but some plans may cover services more than others. Learn about what’s covered, what’s excluded and how much your Medicare costs could be.
Medicare covers many telehealth services, and those benefits expanded during the coronavirus pandemic. Beneficiaries can use telehealth to access their doctor while also staying safe during COVID-19.
Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B) doesn’t cover bathroom grab bars or other bathroom safety devices. Medicare Advantage plans can cover bathroom safety devices, but only in limited situations and only for beneficiaries who qualify.
Original Medicare covers some limited home health services. Medicare Advantage plans cover the same home health care services and may include some additional benefits.
Join our email series to receive your Medicare guide and the latest information about Medicare.
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Your Medicare guide will arrive in your email inbox shortly. You can also look forward to informative email updates about Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
If you'd like to speak with an agent right away, we're standing by for that as well. Give us a call!