Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover routine dental, vision, or hearing care. Cleanings, fillings, dentures, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and hearing aids are not covered. You pay for those on your own. Many Medicare Advantage plans add dental, vision, and hearing as extra benefits. Medigap plans do not cover them. If you also have Medicaid, your state may cover some of these services. This page walks through each path and its trade-offs.
What Original Medicare Leaves Out
Original Medicare is built around hospital care (Part A) and medical care (Part B) — doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, and equipment. Routine dental, vision, and hearing care sit outside that design. If you stay on Original Medicare alone and want this coverage, you buy it on your own. That can mean a stand-alone dental or vision plan, or paying out of pocket.
Path 1: Medicare Advantage Extra Benefits
Many Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans add extras that Original Medicare doesn't offer: dental, vision, hearing aids, and fitness programs. Some add meal delivery and rides to medical visits. These extras are one of the main reasons people choose Medicare Advantage.
Two things to keep in mind:
- They're plan extras, not a separate policy. What's included — and how much the plan pays — differs from plan to plan and year to year. Check each plan's own papers for the details.
- They come with the rest of the plan's rules. Medicare Advantage plans often use provider networks and pre-approval. The extras are one factor among many. See Choosing Coverage for a neutral, full look at both sides.
Path 2: What Medigap Does — and Doesn't — Do
A common mix-up: Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans do not cover dental, vision, or hearing. Medigap helps pay your share of costs for services Medicare already covers, like deductibles and coinsurance. It doesn't add new types of benefits. If you have Original Medicare plus Medigap and want dental or vision coverage, you still buy it on your own.
Path 3: Medicaid, for People With Both Programs
Do you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid? That's called dual eligible. Medicaid may then cover services Medicare doesn't — including dental care, vision care, and hearing aids. This varies a lot by state. One state may cover dental or hearing aids. Another may not.
Dual-eligible members can also join D-SNPs (Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans). These combine Medicare and Medicaid benefits in one plan, and they often include dental, vision, and hearing. Start with Dual Eligible: Medicare and Medicaid. Then use our Getting Help Paying tool to see if you might qualify.
Common Questions
Does Medicare pay for dentures or hearing aids?
Original Medicare generally does not. Some Medicare Advantage plans include dental and hearing benefits that may help — check the specific plan's materials. If you have Medicaid, ask your state what it covers.
Should I pick Medicare Advantage just for the dental and vision extras?
That's your call, and it depends on your needs. The extras matter most if you need them and can't pay on your own. But weigh the whole trade. Networks, pre-approval, and yearly cost caps differ between the two paths. Choosing Coverage lays out both sides without picking one.
I already have dental coverage from a retiree plan. Does this change anything?
If work or retiree benefits already cover dental, vision, or hearing, plan extras matter less for you. Check how your retiree coverage works with Medicare before you change anything. See Retiring or Losing Coverage.
Where can I get free help comparing my options?
Your SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling. You can also compare plan benefits directly at Medicare.gov.