What Does Medicare Not Cover?
It might be more than you think.
Medicare covers many necessary health expenses for older people, from inpatient hospital care to hospice and even doctor visits. Unfortunately, it doesn’t cover everything.
Supplemental Health Insurance to Help Bridge Coverage Gaps
Explore Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity plans.
Here’s a short list of just some medical services that Medicare doesn’t cover.
- Eye Care. Medicare can cover expenses for procedures like cataract surgery, but it doesn’t provide coverage for routine things like eye exams, contacts, or glasses.
- Dental Care. From checkups to oral surgery and dentures, most Medicare policies do not cover dental work.
- Hearing Aids. While some hearing aids can now be purchased over the counter, devices that improve your hearing are often not covered.
- Podiatry. Routine care for feet is generally not covered, but Medicare Part B covers foot exams or treatment for foot injuries or diseases or nerve damage from diabetes.
- Overseas Care. Medical costs incurred outside of the country are not covered.
- Cosmetic Surgery. Surgeries that are considered elective aren’t covered, but plastic surgery required as a result of an accident may be.
- Chiropractic Care. Generally, chiropractic services or tests are not covered.1 Nor is massage therapy.
- Long Term Care. Costs for extended care in an assisted living facility, nursing home, or even your own home are generally not covered by Medicare.
Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and prescription drug plans can help pay some of the costs that aren’t covered by Medicare. You can also add vision, dental, and hearing coverage.
Visit our Medicare Health Exchange for a plan recommendation tool allows you to compare supplemental coverage options based on your doctors, prescription drugs, and health needs. Licensed Benefits Advisors can help you select and enroll in the plan that best fits your needs.
1Medicare Part B does pay for one manual manipulation of the spine to correct a vertebral subluxation.