Does Medicare Cover Dental, Vision and Hearing? What to Know

Does Medicare cover dental cleanings, eye exams for glasses or hearing aids? For the most part, no: Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) doesn’t pay for routine dental, vision or hearing care. It does pay for some care when it’s medically necessary or tied to another covered treatment.

To fill the gaps, many people look at Medicare Advantage plans that include extra benefits, separate dental or vision insurance, or Medi-Cal if they qualify. Here’s what Original Medicare covers in each area, and what to ask before you choose other coverage.

What Original Medicare covers at a glance

Area	Generally not covered	Some covered exceptions
Dental	Routine cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions and dentures	Certain dental services tied to a covered medical procedure
Vision	Routine eye exams for glasses or contacts	Eye exams for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma screening for people at high risk, cataract surgery, and one pair of glasses or contacts after cataract surgery with an intraocular lens
Hearing	Hearing aids and exams for fitting them	Diagnostic hearing and balance exams when your doctor orders them

For covered services, you usually still pay your share, such as the Part B deductible and coinsurance.

Does Medicare cover dental care?

Original Medicare doesn’t cover most dental care. That includes routine cleanings, fillings, most tooth extractions and dentures. If you get these services with only Original Medicare, you generally pay the full cost yourself.

There are some exceptions. Medicare may pay for certain dental services that are tied to a covered medical procedure. Medicare.gov gives examples such as:

• An oral exam and dental treatment before a heart valve replacement or a transplant
• A procedure, like a tooth extraction, to treat a mouth infection before cancer treatment
• Dental exams before and during dialysis for End-Stage Renal Disease

Some dental services during a covered hospital stay may also be covered when they’re needed because of an underlying medical condition. If your doctor or dentist thinks a service may qualify, ask them how it will be billed.

Does Medicare cover vision?

Original Medicare doesn’t cover routine eye exams for glasses or contact lenses. In most cases, it doesn’t pay for the glasses or contacts themselves either.

It does cover some eye care that is tied to a medical condition, including:

• Eye exams for diabetic retinopathy if you have diabetes
• Glaucoma screening if you’re at high risk for glaucoma
• Cataract surgery
• One pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses after cataract surgery that implants an intraocular lens

Does Medicare cover hearing aids?

No. Original Medicare doesn’t cover hearing aids or the exams to fit them.

It does cover diagnostic hearing and balance exams when your doctor or other provider orders them, for example to find out whether you need medical treatment. Your share of the cost for these exams works like other Part B services.

How Medicare Advantage dental, vision and hearing benefits generally work

Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private companies that contract with Medicare. You get your Medicare coverage through the plan, and many plans include some dental, vision and hearing benefits as extras. With Medicare Advantage, the answer to “does Medicare cover dental?” depends on the plan you choose.

Things that commonly vary from plan to plan:

• Which services are included, such as cleanings only, or also fillings, crowns or dentures
• Whether you must use dentists, eye doctors or hearing providers in the plan’s network
• Yearly dollar limits on what the plan pays for dental care, eyewear or hearing aids
• Copays, coinsurance and whether you need a referral
• Waiting periods before some services are covered

Each plan’s Evidence of Coverage lists exactly what’s included. You still pay your Part B premium with a Medicare Advantage plan, and you can usually join or switch plans only at set times, such as the Annual Enrollment Period. See our Annual Enrollment 2027 guide and our article on Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap in California.

Other ways to get dental, vision and hearing coverage

If you keep Original Medicare, or want more than a plan offers, you have other options:

• Stand-alone dental or vision insurance. You can buy these policies separately. Read the policy for waiting periods, yearly limits and which providers you can use.
• Medi-Cal dental (Denti-Cal). If you have Medi-Cal, you may have dental benefits through Medi-Cal’s dental program. Ask your county office or the California Department of Health Care Services what’s covered. If you have both Medicare and Medi-Cal, you can also read about Medi-Medi Plans.
• Medigap generally doesn’t cover these. A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy helps with your share of costs for services Original Medicare covers, so it generally doesn’t add routine dental, vision or hearing coverage.

Questions to ask before you choose coverage

Whether you’re looking at a Medicare Advantage plan or a separate policy, these questions can help you compare:

1. Are my dentist, eye doctor and hearing provider in the network?
2. Is there a yearly limit on what the plan pays, and when does it reset?
3. Are there waiting periods before fillings, crowns, dentures or other major work are covered?
4. Does the benefit cover only preventive care, or more involved treatment too?
5. How do eyeglass and hearing aid benefits work? Is there an allowance, or do I need to use certain providers?
6. Where can I read the details in the Evidence of Coverage or the policy?

Write down the answers for each option so you can compare them side by side. Don’t forget to check how each choice handles your doctors and prescriptions, not only the extras.

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare pay for dentures?

Original Medicare doesn’t cover dentures. Some Medicare Advantage plans include dental benefits that may help with dentures, but coverage, limits and waiting periods vary by plan. Stand-alone dental insurance is another option to look at.

Does Medicare cover eye exams for glasses?

Not under Original Medicare. It does cover certain medical eye care, like exams for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma screening for people at high risk and cataract surgery. Many Medicare Advantage plans include some routine vision benefits.

Does Medicare cover hearing tests?

Original Medicare covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams when your doctor orders them. It doesn’t cover routine exams for fitting hearing aids, or the hearing aids themselves.

Do Medicare Advantage plans cover dental, vision and hearing?

Many do include some dental, vision and hearing benefits, but what’s covered varies by plan. Plans can differ in networks, yearly limits, copays and waiting periods. Read the plan’s Evidence of Coverage, or ask a licensed agent to walk you through it.

Can I add dental coverage if I have Original Medicare?

You can buy stand-alone dental insurance, and if you have Medi-Cal, you may have dental benefits through Medi-Cal. Some people choose a Medicare Advantage plan with dental benefits instead.

Talk with a licensed Boomers agent

A licensed Boomers agent can go over the Medicare plans we represent in your area and check them against your doctors and prescriptions. We can also walk you through the dental, vision and hearing benefits each plan lists in its Evidence of Coverage. Our help is at no cost to you.

Find a licensed agent near you · See upcoming Medicare events

Or call 1-800-815-1943 (TTY 711), Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM Pacific.

Sources

• Dental services (Medicare.gov)
• Eye exams, routine (Medicare.gov)
• Eye exams for diabetes (Medicare.gov)
• Glaucoma screenings (Medicare.gov)
• Cataract surgery (Medicare.gov)
• Eyeglasses and contact lenses (Medicare.gov)
• Hearing aids (Medicare.gov)
• Hearing and balance exams (Medicare.gov)
• Medi-Cal (California Department of Health Care Services)