Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) helps pay for a second opinion before surgery. When your doctor says you have a health problem that needs surgery, you have the right to:
• Know and understand your treatment choices
• Have another doctor look at those choices with you (second opinion)
• Participate in treatment decisions by making your wishes known
When should I get a second opinion?
If your doctor says you need surgery to diagnose or treat a health problem that isn’t an emergency, consider getting a second opinion. It’s up to you to decide when and if you’ll have surgery. Medicare doesn’t pay for surgeries or procedures that aren’t medically necessary, like cosmetic surgery. This means that Medicare also won’t pay for second opinions for surgeries or procedures that aren’t medically necessary.