Dental, Vision and Hearing Under Medicare: What’s Covered
Original Medicare was built around doctors and hospitals, so it pays for very little routine dental, vision or hearing care. Here is what it does cover, what Medicare Advantage plans add, and how big those allowances usually are.
What Original Medicare covers
| Not covered | Covered (Part B, 20% after the deductible) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dental | Cleanings, fillings, extractions, dentures, implants | Dental care tied to a covered treatment: an exam before heart valve replacement, treating a mouth infection before cancer treatment, complications of head and neck cancer treatment, exams before and during dialysis. Some dental care during a hospital stay. |
| Vision | Routine eye exams for glasses or contacts; glasses and contacts | One pair of glasses with standard frames (or one set of contacts) after cataract surgery with an intraocular lens. Medicare.gov lists separate coverage for eye exams if you have diabetes, glaucoma screenings and macular degeneration tests. |
| Hearing | Hearing aids and exams to fit them | Diagnostic hearing and balance exams your provider orders. You can see an audiologist once every 12 months without an order for gradual hearing loss. |
You pay all costs for services Medicare doesn’t cover. Medigap helps with your share of covered services only, so it doesn’t add routine dental, vision or hearing coverage.
What Medicare Advantage plans add
Most Advantage plans include some dental, vision and hearing benefits. Across the 3,532 general-audience plans with benefit filings for 2027:
| Benefit | Plans that offer it | Typical yearly amount |
|---|---|---|
| Any dental | 99% | Median maximum $1,500, where a maximum is stated |
| Comprehensive dental (more than cleanings, exams and X-rays) | 85% | — |
| Eyewear allowance | 93% | Median $150 |
| Hearing aid allowance (yearly amount listed) | 38% | Median $700; 592 plans state it per ear |
From the CMS 2027 Plan Benefit Package files, one count per plan. Some plans cover hearing aids through a set copay instead of an allowance; those aren’t in the hearing aid row. Amounts are the maximums plans filed; your share of each visit or item is set by the plan.
Each plan’s dental, eyewear, hearing aid and over-the-counter amounts are listed under it in our Medicare Advantage rankings by state. A bigger allowance isn’t worth much if the plan’s network or out-of-pocket maximum doesn’t suit you, so compare the worst-case year too.
If you have Original Medicare
- Stand-alone dental insurance or a discount plan covers cleanings and some treatment; check waiting periods and yearly maximums.
- Over-the-counter hearing aids are sold without a prescription or exam to adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.
- Medicaid covers dental or vision care for adults in some states. If you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, a D-SNP may combine the benefits.
- An HSA you built before Medicare can pay for dental, vision and hearing costs tax-free.
Questions
Does Medicare cover dental care?
Original Medicare doesn’t cover most dental care, such as cleanings, fillings, extractions, dentures or implants. It covers some dental services tied to a covered medical treatment, such as an exam before heart valve replacement or treating a mouth infection before cancer treatment.
Does Medicare pay for glasses?
Only after cataract surgery with an intraocular lens: Part B covers one pair of glasses with standard frames, or one set of contact lenses. Routine eye exams for glasses aren’t covered.
Does Medicare cover hearing aids?
No. Original Medicare doesn’t cover hearing aids or exams to fit them. Part B covers diagnostic hearing and balance exams, and you can see an audiologist once every 12 months without an order for gradual hearing loss.
Does Medigap cover dental or vision?
No. Medigap helps pay your share of services Original Medicare covers, so it doesn’t add routine dental, vision or hearing coverage.
How many Medicare Advantage plans include dental for 2027?
99% of the 3,532 general-audience plans with benefit filings include some dental coverage, and 85% cover comprehensive dental (more than cleanings and exams). Among plans that state a yearly maximum, the median is $1,500.
Sources
- Medicare.gov coverage pages: dental services, eyeglasses and contact lenses, routine eye exams, hearing aids, hearing and balance exams; checked October 28, 2026.
- CMS, CY 2027 Plan Benefit Package (benefits) files — cms.gov; plan list from the CY 2027 landscape file — cms.gov.
- IRS Publication 502 (dental treatment, eyeglasses, eye exams and hearing aids as medical expenses, which HSAs can pay) — irs.gov.
- FDA, over-the-counter hearing aids — fda.gov.
Educational information, not medical advice. We are not an insurance agent or broker. · Advertiser disclosure