Last Modified: 7/22/2025
Location: FL, PR, USVI
Business: Part B
World Hepatitis Day aims to raise global awareness of hepatitis, a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, and encourage prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for everyone.
Each year, more than a million people lose their lives to hepatitis, with the number of deaths rising each year. We have fast and accurate tests, effective and affordable treatments, and proven vaccines to prevent from getting hepatitis B.
Millions of people may have hepatitis and not know it. Low awareness, misinformation, myths and stigma may stop people from accessing hepatitis services and lead to a lack of action by decision makers.
World Hepatitis Day is a time to educate about viral hepatitis and help lower the rates of infectious disease in the community.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, mostly caused by a viral infection. There are five main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. These five types are of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread. Medicare provides preventive screening services for hepatitis B and C viruses.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
HBV is transmitted by exposure to blood or blood-containing body fluids such as serum, semen, or saliva. An infected person may initially develop symptoms such as nausea, anorexia, fatigue, fever, and abdominal pain, or may be asymptomatic. Common signs of acute infection are jaundice and abnormal liver function test results. Screening for HBV infection can identify chronically infected persons who may benefit from treatment or other interventions, such as surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer).
Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
HCV is a bloodborne infection transmitted by exposure to contaminated blood or blood products via transfusions, shared needles and reused medical supplies. An infected person may initially develop symptoms like HBV infection above. The infection is often asymptomatic and can go undiagnosed for decades. Most new infections occur in injection-drug users. Common signs of acute infection are jaundice and abnormal liver function test results.
It is difficult for the human immune system to eliminate HCV, and it is a major cause of chronic liver disease, which in turn causes inflammation. Inflammation over prolonged periods of time (usually decades) can cause scarring, called cirrhosis. A cirrhotic liver fails to perform the normal functions of the liver, which leads to liver failure and is more prone to becoming cancerous, which can cause serious complications, even death.
Screening for HCV infection can identify persons at earlier stages of disease, before developing serious or irreversible liver damage, and lead to treatments to improve clinical outcomes or reduce transmission risk. Up to three quarters of HCV-infected persons are unaware of their status.
HBV screening 
is covered for patients with Medicare Part B who are either:
• High-risk, asymptomatic non-pregnant adolescents and adults
• Pregnant women
Medicare covers this screening as follows:
• One asymptomatic screening for non-pregnant adolescents and adults who meet the high-risk definition
• Annually for patients with continued high-risk who don’t contract HBV
• One screening for pregnant women at first prenatal visit, and rescreening at delivery for those with new or continued risk factors
• Note: This includes screening during the first prenatal visit for future pregnancies, even if the patient previously received the HBV shot or had a negative hepatitis B surface antigen screening result.
HCV screening is covered for adult patients with Medicare Part B who meet at least 1 of these criteria:
• Are at high risk for HCV infection
• Were born 1945-1965
• Had a blood transfusion before 1992
Medicare covers this screening at the following frequency:
• Once for patients born 1945-1965 not considered high-risk
• An initial patient screening, regardless of birth year, for high-risk patients:
• Patients who had a blood transfusion before 1992
• Patients with current or history of illicit injection drug use
• Annually for high-risk patients with continued illicit injection drug use since the previous negative HCV screening test
As covered preventive laboratory services, there is no copayment, coinsurance, or deductible for these screening services. Medicare pays the full allowed amount to the provider.
First Coast Service Options (First Coast) strives to ensure that the information available on our provider website is accurate, detailed, and current. Therefore, this is a dynamic site and its content changes daily. It is best to access the site to ensure you have the most current information rather than printing articles or forms that may become obsolete without notice.
for the definition of “high-risk”.
World Hepatitis Day Organization 
