Medicare Coverage for Dental and Vision Care
Question: Is there any way Medicare pays for dental work or eye exams?
Answer: Original Medicare does not cover routine dental or vision care. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer some coverage for vision and dental but make sure you know what is and IS NOT covered before enrolling. Read the fine print! Some Advantage plans only cover vision and dental as covered by original Medicare.
Medicare Part A will pay for certain dental services that you get when you are in the hospital. Medicare Part A can pay for hospital stays if you need to have emergency or complicated dental procedures, even when the dental care itself is not covered.
Medicare provides limited vision coverage in some cases such as after cataract surgery or for some cases of macular degeneration. If you are in a high risk category for glaucoma, Medicare will cover screenings every 12 months. It is a good idea to check with Medicare or your Advantage plan rather than assume a procedure is covered. For more information on Medicare coverage go to www.medicare.gov/coverage .
