Medicare Won't Pay for These Common Healthcare Costs in Retirement. Here's How to Get Them Covered

Retirees tend to make a few incorrect assumptions about Medicare that can trip them up financially.

One assumption is that health coverage under Medicare is free. Most enrollees don’t pay a premium for Part A, which covers hospital care. But Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient care, charges enrollees a monthly premium.

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Another big assumption about Medicare is that it’ll cover every health service you need. In reality, Medicare doesn’t pay for a number of common services. And the cost of paying for them yourself could really sting.

Key services not covered by Medicare

Many seniors are shocked to learn that Medicare will not pay for dental care. That means cleaning, fillings, crowns, dentures, and other common procedures will be on you to cover in full.

Routine vision care is another service Medicare won’t cover. If you need your vision checked, Medicare won’t pay, nor will it pay for new eyeglasses if you need an updated prescription.

Finally, Medicare won’t pay for hearing aids. A lot of people start to experience hearing loss as they age. On top of not covering hearing aids themselves, Medicare also generally won’t pay for the exams needed to get them fitted.

How to get dental care, eye exams, and hearing aids covered

You may find it disappointing – and shocking – that Medicare won’t cover dental care, eye exams, and hearing aids. But you should know that many Medicare Advantage plans _do _cover these services.

Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurers and must offer at least the same level of coverage as original Medicare. However, some Medicare Advantage plans offer a great deal of expanded coverage, providing enrollees with extra benefits beyond just dental care, eye exams, and hearing aids.

Before you sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan to have extra services covered, though, recognize that these plans have certain drawbacks. For one thing, they’re not guaranteed to cost less, despite Medicare Advantage often being advertised as an affordable alternative to original Medicare.

Also, Medicare Advantage plans limit enrollees to specific provider networks. Going outside of your plan’s network could mean facing large costs.

Finally, it’s common for Medicare Advantage plans to require prior authorization for in-depth or expensive diagnostics and care. That requirement commonly leads to a delay in care.

For these reasons, don’t assume that signing up for Medicare Advantage so you can get your dental, eye, and hearing needs covered is a smart bet. You may find that you’re better off finding other ways to pay for them, whether it’s exploring alternate insurance options, socking money away in a health savings account, or boosting your general retirement savings.