Fecal Occult Blood Test Cost and Medicare Coverage (CPT 82274)
Also called: FIT test · stool blood test · hemoccult test · guaiac test — all the same test, CPT 82274.
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
- $15.92
- Information verified
- 2026-09-04
Buy it yourself — what you'd really pay
| Where | Test price | Fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ulta Lab Tests ultalabtests.com · InSure FIT kit Partner link — we earn a commission if you order. No extra cost to you. | $52.95 | $12.95 Ulta calls it a draw fee — charged on every order, even this mail-in kit | $65.90 |
| Jason Health jasonhealth.com · InSure FIT kit | $80 | $18 one fee per order — covers every test on it | $98 |
| Quest questhealth.com · FIT colorectal screening kit | $79 | $6 physician service fee | $85 |
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 — once every 12 months from age 45, free, no colonoscopy required. The fecal occult blood test is the no-prep, at-home door into Medicare’s colorectal cancer screening benefit: your doctor gives you a small kit, you return a sample, and the lab checks for hidden blood. And the benefit has a feature almost nobody knows: if the result is positive, the follow-up colonoscopy is also covered as a free screening — the 2023 rule change closed what used to be a notorious surprise-bill gap.
When Medicare DOES cover it
- Age 45 and up: one screening FOBT every 12 months, at $0. (On Medicare paperwork the screening version may appear as code G0328 — same test, screening label.)
- Positive result? The follow-up colonoscopy is covered as part of the screening — not billed as a diagnostic procedure with cost-sharing.
- FOBT is one of several covered colorectal screening options (colonoscopy every 10 years, stool-DNA tests every 3 years, and others) — using a different method resets different clocks, so tell your doctor what you’ve had done.
- Diagnostic use — checking for hidden blood when anemia or symptoms are being worked up — follows ordinary medical-necessity rules any time, under its own national policy.
When Medicare does NOT cover it
- A second screening within the 12-month window — the calendar is the rule.
- Under 45 without symptoms (diagnostic use is separate).
What you pay if it IS covered: $0
No deductible, no coinsurance. Medicare pays the lab about $16–$18 depending on how it’s billed, and you owe zero — including, since 2023, the follow-up colonoscopy after a positive screen.
What it costs to buy yourself
Here the covered route wins decisively: DTC kits run $79 at Quest’s consumer site (questhealth.com, plus a $6 physician fee) and $80 at Jason Health (jasonhealth.com, plus their flat $18 per-order fee) — Labcorp OnDemand doesn’t sell one. Compare that to $0 every 12 months through your doctor: this is the rare page where our advice is simply use the benefit.
Quick questions people ask
What is a stool guaiac (hemoccult) test? The older chemistry version of this screening: guaiac paper changes color when blood is present. Most labs have moved to the FIT (fecal immunochemical test — this page’s CPT 82274), which detects human blood protein directly, needs only one sample, and isn’t fooled by food. If your kit says Hemoccult or guaiac, it’s the older type — both count as covered FOBT screening.
What foods can cause a false-positive occult blood test? With the old guaiac kits: red meat, certain raw vegetables (horseradish, turnips, broccoli), and vitamin C interference — kits came with diet instructions for a reason. The modern FIT test isn’t affected by diet, which is one more reason labs switched. Follow whatever instructions come with your specific kit.
How often will Medicare pay for it? Once every 12 months from age 45, at $0 — and the frequency question is the whole rule. If a year hasn’t passed since your last covered FOBT, you’re early, not ineligible.
Sources and data dates
Screening rules: medicare.gov, “Fecal occult blood tests (screening)” — once every 12 months at 45+, with the follow-up colonoscopy covered after a positive result; CMS NCD 210.3. Diagnostic use: NCD 190.34. Medicare payment amounts: CMS Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, 2026 Q3 file (82274 and G0328). 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.