Knowing what is and isn’t covered by Medicare is confusing. To help make things a bit easier, here’s what you should know: Medicare doesn’t cover glasses or contact lenses in most cases. Let’s look further and see what you need to know about this coverage.

Cost of Glasses with Original Medicare

When discussing coverage through Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), think in terms of percentages. Medicare covers a certain percentage of the total cost, and you cover the remaining percentage. With that in mind, in regular circumstances, you pay 100% for most eyeglasses or contact lenses, as it is considered a “non-covered service.”

Original Medicare covers emergency care and general medical necessities. So, you can receive coverage for glasses, but only after a medical procedure. More specifically, Medicare covers 80% of the cost for corrective lenses after each cataract surgery with an intraocular lens. So, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, as well as your Part B deductible if you haven’t paid it yet for the year. Any upgrades, such as improved frames, come out of your pocket. Just keep in mind that, no matter what, they must come from a Medicare-approved supplier to receive coverage.

Coverage Through Medicare Advantage

There is another coverage option for glasses through Medicare. Some Medicare Advantage plans include dental, vision, and hearing benefits, which may include glasses.

As you can tell, this explanation is a bit vague, and purposefully so—every Medicare Advantage plan is different, and what, how much, and how often they cover glasses will vary between plans and providers. There are, however, options out there, so be sure to look for and compare options in your area.

Your Other Coverage Options

There are glasses coverage options besides Medicare out there as well. You can choose to enroll in a standalone vision or combination vision, hearing, and/or dental plan on top of your Medicare coverage. It’s all just a matter of what coverage works best for you, and the only way to find out is by comparing your options.

Answering Your Questions with Ease—Call the Medicare Sharks

The Medicare Sharks will help you compare your options. We take a lot of overwhelming options and narrow them down to the ones that work best for you and your needs. To learn more and see what the Medicare Sharks can do for you, call us today at (561) 288-2080 or (561) 288-2396.