1 Freed M, et al. (Nov. 15, 2023). Medicare Advantage 2024 Spotlight: First Look. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-2024-spotlight-first-look.
Coverage
Does Medicare Cover Eyeglasses?
- January 12, 2024
- Reviewed by John Krahnert
While Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B) only covers eyeglasses in limited situations, Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans can offer benefits Original Medicare doesn’t cover. Medicare Advantage plans with vision benefits that cover eyeglasses may not be available where you live, so learn how to compare your local plan options.
Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) may cover one set of eyeglasses with standard frames or one set of contact lenses when a beneficiary has cataract surgery to implant an intraocular lens. Original Medicare does not, however, cover eyeglasses for common vision problems such as astigmatism or near-sightedness.
Medicare beneficiaries who want routine vision coverage can consider looking for a Medicare Advantage plan (Medicare Part C) that offers vision. Plans that cover routine vision care may not be available where you live, so it’s important to compare plan benefits available in your local area.
99 percent of 2024 Medicare Advantage plans offer vision benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.1
Does Medicare Advantage cover eyeglasses?
While Original Medicare doesn’t typically cover glasses, Medicare Advantage plans can cover things Original Medicare doesn’t, which can include the cost of eyeglasses and contact lenses. The actual plan benefits available where you live can vary, as well as their costs.
As mentioned above, Medicare Part B covers one pair of standard eyeglasses frames or one pair of contact lenses after qualifying cataract surgery. Medicare Part B does not, however, cover most eyeglasses or prescription contact lenses.
Other vision care services that may be covered by Original Medicare
Although Original Medicare coverage of eyeglasses is minimal, it does cover some other services related to vision care. Because Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover at least the same benefits as Original Medicare, they also offer the following benefits:
- Cataract surgery
Cataract surgery may be covered by Medicare when deemed to be medically necessary. - Glaucoma tests
Medicare beneficiaries who are determined to be at an increased risk for glaucoma can have a glaucoma test covered by Medicare Part B once every 12 months. Hispanics aged 65 and older, African Americans aged 50 and older, people with diabetes and those who have a family history of glaucoma are at an increased risk for developing glaucoma. - Macular degeneration tests and treatment
Medicare Part B may provide coverage for certain tests and treatments for beneficiaries with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). - Eye exams for people with diabetes
Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes can have an annual eye exam covered by Medicare Part B to test for diabetic retinopathy.
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About the author
Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.
Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.
Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.
Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.
A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.
