Dental, Vision & Hearing

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Medicare

Original Medicare covers almost none of this.

Routine dental, eyeglasses and hearing aids are largely outside what Original Medicare pays for. These are also three of the most predictable expenses in retirement, which makes them worth planning rather than absorbing.

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The Basics

The gap people discover at the dentist.

Most people assume Medicare works like the employer plan they just left. It does not. Cleanings, fillings, crowns, dentures, routine eye exams, glasses and hearing aids generally fall outside Original Medicare, and Medigap does not add them.

Some Medicare Advantage plans include these benefits, though limits are often lower than the actual cost of major work. A standalone dental, vision and hearing plan is the other route, and which makes sense depends on what coverage you already have.

  • Standalone plans that work alongside any Medicare setup
  • Comparison against benefits already in an Advantage plan
  • Hearing aid allowances, which vary widely between plans
  • Waiting periods on major dental work, checked before you buy

Watch For

  • • Annual benefit maximums
  • • Waiting periods before major services
  • • Whether your dentist is in network
  • • How hearing aid allowances are paid
What’s Covered

Typical dental, vision and hearing benefits

Preventive Dental

Cleanings, exams and x-rays, usually covered from day one.

Basic & Major Dental

Fillings, extractions, crowns, bridges and dentures, often with waiting periods.

Routine Eye Exams

Annual vision exams, which Original Medicare generally does not cover.

Glasses & Contacts

An allowance toward frames, lenses or contact lenses each year.

Hearing Exams

Routine hearing tests and fittings, separate from medically necessary evaluations.

Hearing Aids

An allowance toward devices, which are a significant out-of-pocket cost otherwise.

Common Questions

Dental, Vision & Hearing FAQs

Doesn’t my Advantage plan already include dental?
Many do, but the annual maximum is often well below the cost of a crown or dentures. Worth comparing what your plan actually allows against what you expect to need.
Can I buy this with a Medigap plan?
Yes. Standalone dental, vision and hearing plans work alongside Original Medicare and a supplement, since Medigap does not add these benefits.
Is there a waiting period?
Preventive care usually starts immediately. Major services often have a waiting period, so buying before you need the work matters.
Are hearing aids worth insuring?
They are a large out-of-pocket expense, and allowances vary considerably between plans. If hearing is a concern, it is worth comparing specifically on that benefit.

Let’s look at what you already have.

Sometimes the answer is that your current plan covers it. We will tell you either way.

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