Medicare Dental and Vision Coverage

How Dental and Vision Work with Medicare

Original Medicare does not normally cover routine dental and vision care.

This can be confusing because Medicare does cover many medical procedures involving your eyes. The key is whether the care is medical or routine.

How Vision Works

Medicare Part B can cover many eye services when they are needed to diagnose or treat a medical problem.

For example, Part B may cover care for:

• Glaucoma
• Macular degeneration
• Diabetic eye disease
• Eye injuries or infections
• Cataracts
• Other medical problems involving the eyes

If you need eye surgery, Medicare may also cover it when it is medically necessary. Depending on where and how the care is provided, Part A or Part B may apply.

But Original Medicare generally does not cover a routine eye exam just to check your eyesight or give you a new prescription for glasses or contacts.

It also does not normally give you a yearly allowance or discount for glasses and contact lenses.

There is an important exception. After Medicare-covered cataract surgery that implants an artificial lens, Part B can help pay for one pair of corrective eyeglasses or one set of contact lenses from a Medicare-enrolled supplier.

An easy way to remember it is:

Medical problem with your eyes = Medicare may cover it.

Routine glasses, contacts, and vision exams = Usually not covered by Original Medicare.

What About Dental Care?

Original Medicare also does not normally cover routine dental care.

That means Medicare usually does not pay for things like:

• Dental cleanings
• Routine dental exams
• Fillings
• Crowns
• Dentures
• Most tooth extractions

Medicare can cover certain dental services when they are directly connected to specific Medicare-covered medical treatment. But that is very different from having regular dental insurance.

So if you have Original Medicare Parts A and B and want help paying for routine dental care, you would typically look at purchasing a separate dental insurance plan.

Some separate plans may also combine dental and vision benefits into one policy.

The Easy Way to Remember It

Think of Original Medicare as medical insurance, not routine dental and vision insurance.

If something is medically wrong with your eyes, Medicare may cover the treatment.

But if you simply need a new pair of glasses, contacts, a dental cleaning, or a filling, Original Medicare usually does not pay for it.

That’s why someone choosing Original Medicare will often consider adding:

A Medicare Supplement for some of the costs left by Parts A and B

A Part D plan for prescription drugs

and

A separate dental and/or vision plan for routine dental and vision care.

Many Medicare Advantage plans include some dental and vision benefits, so it’s worth comparing before buying a separate plan.