Quick answer: Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover most routine dental care, routine eye exams for glasses, most eyeglasses, or hearing aids. It does cover some related medical services, such as dental care tied to certain covered treatments, glasses after cataract surgery with an intraocular lens, yearly glaucoma screenings for people at high risk, a yearly diabetic eye exam for people with diabetes, and diagnostic hearing exams. Many Medicare Advantage plans add dental, vision and hearing benefits, and standalone plans and over-the-counter hearing aids are other options.
Dental, vision and hearing are three of the biggest gaps in Original Medicare. Teeth, eyes and ears all tend to need more care with age, yet routine cleanings, glasses and hearing aids are mostly left for beneficiaries to pay on their own. Knowing exactly where the lines fall helps you budget and choose coverage during enrollment.
This guide walks through what Medicare.gov says Original Medicare covers in each area, what it leaves out, and how people commonly fill the gaps. It is part of our complete Medicare guide, and it builds on the basics in Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained.
Coverage details below come from Medicare.gov’s coverage pages and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, checked October 2026. Costs and plan benefits change each year, so confirm details for your own situation.
Dental Care: What Original Medicare Covers and What It Doesn't
According to Medicare.gov’s dental services page, in most cases Medicare does not cover dental services like routine cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, or items like dentures and implants.
The exceptions
Medicare may cover dental care in two kinds of situations:
- Inpatient hospital dental care. Some dental services you get when you are admitted to a hospital for the procedure, either because of an underlying medical condition or the severity of the procedure.
- Dental care tied to covered medical treatment. Specific dental services that are directly linked to the success of a covered medical treatment.
Medicare.gov gives these examples of the second group:
- An oral exam and dental treatment before a heart valve replacement or a bone marrow, organ or kidney transplant.
- A procedure, such as a tooth extraction, to treat a mouth infection before cancer treatment like chemotherapy.
- Treatment for a complication that occurs during head and neck cancer treatment.
- Dental or oral exams before and during Medicare-covered dialysis for people with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).
- Medically necessary tests and treatments to remove an oral or dental infection before and during dialysis for people with ESRD.
What you pay
For Part B-covered dental services, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible, plus a facility copayment in an outpatient hospital setting. Inpatient care falls under Part A, which in 2026 has a $1,736 deductible per benefit period. You pay all costs for dental services Medicare does not cover. For a refresher on these terms, see our explainer on deductibles, copays and coinsurance.
Vision Care: Routine Exams and Glasses
Medicare.gov states that Medicare does not cover routine eye exams, sometimes called eye refractions, for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Most eyeglasses and contact lenses are not covered either.
Eye care Part B does cover
Part B covers several medical eye services:
| Service | Who qualifies | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Glaucoma screening | People at high risk: those with diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, African Americans 50 or older, or Hispanic people 65 or older | Once every 12 months |
| Diabetic retinopathy eye exam | People with diabetes | Once a year |
| Macular degeneration tests and treatment | People with age-related macular degeneration | As medically needed, including certain injectable drugs |
| Eyeglasses or contact lenses | After each cataract surgery that implants an intraocular lens | One pair of glasses with standard frames, or one set of contacts |
For each of these, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible, plus a copayment in a hospital outpatient setting.
Glasses after cataract surgery
According to Medicare.gov’s eyeglasses page, Medicare only pays for glasses or contacts from a supplier that participates in Medicare. Upgraded frames cost extra, and you pay the difference.
Diabetes and eye health
A yearly diabetic eye exam must be done by an eye doctor legally allowed to perform the test in your state. These exams check for diabetic retinopathy, which can damage vision if untreated.
Hearing Care: Exams and Hearing Aids
Medicare.gov’s hearing aids page is direct: Medicare does not cover hearing aids or exams for fitting hearing aids, and you pay all costs for them.
What Part B covers
Under Medicare’s hearing and balance exam coverage, Part B covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams when a doctor or other provider orders them to find out whether you need medical treatment. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible.
You can also see an audiologist once every 12 months without a provider’s order, but only for non-acute hearing conditions, such as hearing loss that develops over many years, and for diagnostic services related to hearing loss treated with surgically implanted hearing devices.
Over-the-counter hearing aids
A newer option affects costs outside Medicare. According to the FDA, a category of over-the-counter hearing aids for adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss took effect on October 17, 2022. These devices can be bought in stores or online without a prescription or a hearing professional’s involvement.
OTC hearing aids are not covered by Original Medicare either, but they give buyers a lower-cost route for mild to moderate loss. People with more severe loss, sudden changes, ear pain or other symptoms should see a doctor or audiologist first.
How Medicare Advantage Handles Dental, Vision and Hearing
Medicare.gov notes on each of these coverage pages that some Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits that Original Medicare does not cover, like vision, hearing or dental.
What to check in a plan
Extra benefits vary widely from plan to plan, so read the plan’s Evidence of Coverage and Summary of Benefits. Useful questions include:
- Is dental coverage limited to preventive care, or does it include fillings, extractions, crowns and dentures?
- Is there a yearly maximum dollar amount for dental benefits?
- How often are eye exams and eyewear covered, and is there an allowance for frames or contacts?
- Does the plan cover hearing exams and hearing aids, and through which vendors?
- Do you have to use a specific network of dentists, eye doctors or hearing providers?
Balancing extras against other factors
Extra benefits are only one part of the decision. Networks, prior authorization, drug coverage and out-of-pocket limits matter too. Our comparison of Medicare Advantage vs Medigap walks through those trade-offs.
Other Ways to Fill the Gaps
People who keep Original Medicare have several ways to cover dental, vision and hearing costs.
Medigap does not usually help here
Medigap policies help pay cost-sharing for services Original Medicare covers. Because routine dental, vision and hearing care are not covered by Original Medicare, Medigap policies generally do not pay for them either.
Standalone dental and vision insurance
Private dental and vision plans are sold separately. Dental plans often cover preventive care at a high percentage, with lower coverage for basic and major work, an annual maximum and sometimes waiting periods. Vision plans usually cover a yearly exam and an allowance toward glasses or contacts. For more on how separate vision policies interact, see our guide to dual vision insurance coverage.
Discount plans
Dental and vision discount plans are not insurance. Members pay a fee and get reduced prices from participating providers. Compare the discounts with the fee to see whether one makes sense for your expected care.
Medicaid and other programs
People who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid may get some dental, vision or hearing benefits through Medicaid, depending on their state. Veterans may have options through the VA, and some community health centers and dental schools offer reduced-cost care.
Budgeting on your own
Some people pay these costs out of pocket and set money aside each year for exams, cleanings, glasses and eventual hearing aids. Comparing expected yearly costs with plan premiums and limits helps show which route works best. A simple worksheet can help: list the care you expect in a typical year, such as two cleanings, one eye exam and a pair of glasses, then price it with and without each coverage option. Include premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, waiting periods and annual maximums, since these can change the answer.
When to Review Dental, Vision and Hearing Coverage
Timing matters, because most Medicare coverage changes can only be made during set enrollment windows.
Your Initial Enrollment Period
The seven-month window around your 65th birthday is when most people first choose between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. If routine dental, vision or hearing care is a priority, compare extra benefits during this window along with drug coverage and provider networks.
Medicare Open Enrollment
Each year from October 15 to December 7, you can switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, change Advantage plans, or join or change a Part D plan. Changes take effect January 1. This is the main yearly chance to pick a plan with stronger dental, vision or hearing benefits, or to drop one whose extras did not meet your needs.
Plans send an Annual Notice of Change each fall. Read it closely, since dental maximums, eyewear allowances, hearing aid benefits and networks can change from one year to the next.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment
From January 1 to March 31, people already in a Medicare Advantage plan can switch to another Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare once. Standalone dental and vision insurance, by contrast, can often be bought at any time, though waiting periods may apply before major dental work is covered.
Questions to Ask Before You Get Care
A few questions can prevent surprise bills, whichever coverage you choose.
Ask whether Medicare will cover the service
Medicare.gov encourages beneficiaries to ask their doctor or provider how much a test, item or service will cost, and why it is recommended. Providers may suggest services that Medicare does not cover, or offer them more often than Medicare pays for.
Watch for an Advance Beneficiary Notice
Under Original Medicare, a provider who expects Medicare may not pay for a Part B service can ask you to sign an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage, or ABN. The notice explains that you may have to pay if Medicare denies the claim. Read it before signing, and ask questions if the reason is unclear.
Check networks and suppliers
Medicare Advantage extras usually work through specific networks or vendors. For glasses after cataract surgery under Original Medicare, the supplier must participate in Medicare. Confirming this before you buy can save money.
Keep records
Keep receipts, plan documents and explanations of benefits. Clear records help with appeals, with tracking annual dental maximums, and with budgeting for the next year.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicare pay for dental cleanings?
No. Medicare.gov states that in most cases Medicare does not cover routine dental services like cleanings, fillings, extractions, dentures or implants.
Does Medicare cover glasses?
Generally no. Part B covers one pair of eyeglasses with standard frames, or one set of contact lenses, after each cataract surgery that implants an intraocular lens.
Does Medicare cover eye exams?
Medicare does not cover routine eye exams for glasses or contacts. Part B covers yearly glaucoma screenings for people at high risk and a yearly diabetic eye exam for people with diabetes.
Does Medicare pay for hearing aids?
No. Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids or exams for fitting them. Part B covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams, and some Medicare Advantage plans include hearing benefits.
Can I buy hearing aids without a prescription?
Yes, for adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. The FDA’s over-the-counter hearing aid category took effect in October 2022.
Do Medicare Advantage plans cover dental?
Many do, but benefits vary. Check each plan’s coverage limits, networks and yearly maximums before enrolling. N: This article is general information and is not insurance advice. Confirm coverage with Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE or the plan you are considering.
