Original Medicare generally covers medically necessary services but has significant gaps, excluding most routine dental care, hearing aids and exams, routine vision care, and long-term care.
While Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) covers many essential medical services, it leaves several common healthcare needs without coverage. These typically include routine dental checkups and procedures, hearing aids and the exams needed to fit them, and routine eye exams for glasses or contact lenses. Long-term care, such as nursing home care or custodial care, is also generally not covered. Understanding these exclusions is key to planning for potential out-of-pocket costs.
This information is for educational purposes and does not guarantee coverage for specific services; always verify with your plan and provider.
How do Medicare Advantage plans differ from Original Medicare regarding coverage gaps?
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are required to cover everything Original Medicare covers, but many also offer additional benefits that Original Medicare does not, such as routine dental, vision, and hearing care. These plans often have different networks and costs than Original Medicare.