A Medicare supplement basic benefit is

• A. the first pint of blood a year
• B. the next 3 pints of blood a year
• C. the first 3 pints of blood a year
• D. all blood transfusions

Answer: (C)

Medicare supplement basic benefits include coverage for the first three pints of blood used in a transfusion each year. This fixed, cap-style coverage helps limit out-of-pocket costs for a common, potentially expensive procedure. The idea is to provide a predictable starting point of coverage for transfusions, with the remaining costs handled by Medicare or the plan under other rules. The other options either understate, misstate the timing, or overstate the scope of the basic benefit, so the first three pints per year best represents the standard coverage.