Medicare covers deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor when a doctor deems it medically necessary and when a person meets the coverage criteria.

Medicare will only cover the use of DBS devices that have Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. The specific forms of DBS it covers include:

  • thalamic ventralis intermedius nucleus (VIM) DBS
  • subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS
  • globus pallidus interna (GPi) DBS

Medicare covers thalamic VIM DBS as a treatment for essential tremor and Parkinson’s tremor. It also covers STN and GPi DBS for treating Parkinson’s disease. However, a person must meet specific criteria to qualify.

For Medicare to cover thalamic VIM DBS, an individual must:

  • receive a diagnosis of essential tremor due to the presence of hand tremors without neurological signs or receive a diagnosis of idiopathic (unknown cause) PD with at least two cardinal features — rigidity, tremor, or bradykinesia
  • have a severe tremor with significant impairment in daily activities despite medical treatment
  • be willing to cooperate with healthcare professionals during multiple stages of the surgical and post-operative process

For Medicare to cover STN or GPi DBS, a person must:

  • receive a diagnosis of PD with at least two cardinal features — rigidity, tremor, or bradykinesia
  • have advanced idiopathic PD according to an evaluation with a Parkinson’s rating scale
  • have severe Parkinson’s disease symptoms or medication side effects despite medical treatment
  • be willing to cooperate with healthcare professionals during multiple stages of the surgical and post-operative process

Medicare will not cover DBS as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor in certain circumstances. If a person has any of the following conditions, they will not receive Medicare coverage for treatment:

  • any form of cognitive (thinking) impairment that may hinder the benefits of DBS, such as depression or dementia
  • substance use disorder or psychosis
  • structural lesions
  • a prior surgery within the basal ganglion for a movement disorder
  • other coexisting medical conditions that would make DBS potentially unsafe or unsuitable

Since DBS is typically an inpatient procedure, coverage will fall under Medicare Part A (hospital insurance). In 2025, Part A has a $1,676 deductible for every hospital benefit period.

For the first 60 days of each benefit period, a person pays $0 per day for inpatient care. After that, costs increase until day 150, when a person pays for the entirety of their hospital care.

Following the procedure, an individual may require follow-up appointments with their healthcare team. These visits would have coverage under Medicare Part B (medical insurance). In 2025, Part B has a $185 monthly premium, a $257 annual deductible, and a 20% coinsurance on all services after reaching the deductible.

If a person has a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, it will provide the same coverage as Original Medicare (parts A and B). However, their costs will vary according to location.

It is best to review Medicare guidelines or speak with a healthcare professional to determine coverage eligibility.