Dental, Vision, Hearing Plans
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Does My Medicare Plan Cover Dental, Vision, or Hearing?
Coverage depends on how you receive your Medicare benefits.
Original Medicare with Medicare Supplement
(MediGap)
Original Medicare does not cover routine dental, vision, or hearing care, even when paired with a Medicare Supplement. However, it does cover medically necessary vision care.
Original Medicare and Supplements cover eye exams and treatment related to conditions like glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes, and macular degeneration. Routine services like cleanings, fillings, glasses, contacts, hearing exams, and hearing aids are not covered. Because of these gaps, many people choose to add a separate dental or vision for routine care.
Medicare Advantage
Many Medicare Advantage plans include Dental, Vision, and Hearing benefits. These benefits vary by plan and are often limited, but they can help with routine care.
If you are currently enrolled in a Medicare Supplement and are considering a Medicare Advantage plan, we recommend first watching our short video explaining the Differences between Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage Plans. Medicare Advantage plans can only be changed during the Annual Enrollment Period, from October 15 through December 7. If you think you may be interested in switching, please contact HTA.
Dental Shopping
3 Things to Know Before Choosing a Dental Plan
1) Network vs. Non-Network Plans
This is usually the biggest decision.
Network plan (lower cost, better pricing if your dentist is in-network)
Our PPO Plan offers access to several different Dental Provider Networks including Dentemax, United Concordia, Physicians Mutual, Connection Dental, Zelus, Stratus and Ameritas.
If your dentist participates in the Ameritas network, you can often:
- Pay less in premium
- Get stronger coverage
- Benefit from discounted pricing
With network plans, your dentist agrees to set (negotiated) rates — meaning they can’t charge above the network price for covered services.
Non-network plan (more flexibility if your dentist is not in-network)
If your dentist doesn’t participate in the network, we can quote plans that don’t require network participation.
- You can typically see any dentist
- Your dentist can charge their normal fees
The plan pays a percentage based on Usual & Customary (U&C) charges.
What does “Usual & Customary (U&C)” mean?
U&C is the plan’s estimate of a “reasonable” cost for a service in your area. If your dentist charges more than that amount, you may be responsible for the difference.
2) Dental Coverage Categories
Most dental plans split benefits into these groups:
Note: coverage percentages can vary and some services may have waiting periods depending on the plan.
Preventive (usually covered the most)
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Often 80–100% depending on the plan
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Common examples: exams, cleanings, routine X-rays
Basic
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Often 50–90% depending on the plan
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Common examples: fillings, simple extractions
Major
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Often 10–50% depending on the plan
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Common examples: crowns, bridges, dentures, periodontal services
3) Annual Maximum Benefit Amount
Dental plans have a yearly cap on what they’ll pay per person.
Typical annual maximum ranges:
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$1,500/year per person up to $5,000/year per person (varies by plan)
Once you hit the annual maximum, you can still receive services — you’d just pay more out-of-pocket for the remainder of that year.
Vision Shopping
Vision insurance is often available as a standalone plan, with monthly premiums typically ranging from $10–$17 per month in most states. These plans usually allow you to choose between the EyeMed or VSP provider networks. Coverage is generally minimal and designed to help with routine vision care.
Most plans include one eye exam per year and provide an allowance for glasses or contact lenses, typically ranging from $100–$250, either annually or every other year depending on the plan. Some dental or bundled plans may include vision coverage as well.
Hearing Shopping
There are no standalone hearing aid plans available. Hearing Aid and Fitting benefits in Medicare are typically very minimal.
- See above dental plans which can include some hearing aid benefits.
- Some Medicare Supplement plans may offer Hearing Aid discounts in their Value Added Discounts- ask HTA for more details.
- Many Medicare Advantage plans include some Hearing Aid benefits.
Request a Quote a Dental Quote
Visit the following pages for more information on plan options
Medicare Supplement Plan Options
Medicare Advantage Plan Options