Dental & Vision

The health of our eyes and mouths is no less important than that of the rest of our bodies. However, dental and vision insurance are excluded from traditional Medicare health insurance. 

Coverage of routine dental care wasn’t built into Medicare

Medicare was never designed to include routine dental care; Medicare’s coverage of dental expenses is limited to situations where the dental treatment is integral to other medical treatment (for example, an extraction before radiation treatment for oral cancer, or jaw reconstruction following an accident). Although, as noted in this brief from the Center for Medicare Advocacy, CMS has some flexibility when it comes to how the rules are interpreted.

While health insurance plans generally pick up the tab for large medical bills, it’s rare to find dental coverage that doesn’t leave enrollees on the hook for significant bills if they need extensive dental work. This is generally true across various plan types, including Medicare Advantage dental coverage, stand-alone dental plans, and group dental plans for employees and retirees. Dental plans commonly have benefit maximums of $1,000 or $2,000 per year, and a single root canal can cost upwards of $1,500, while an implant can cost as much as $7,500 per tooth.

Medicare doesn’t cover most dental care, dental procedures, or supplies, like cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, dental plates, or other dental devices. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) will pay for certain dental services that you get when you’re in a hospital. Part A can pay for inpatient hospital care if you need to have an emergency or complicated dental procedures, even though dental care isn’t covered.

Medicare doesn’t cover routine eye exams (sometimes called “eye refractions”) for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers some preventive and diagnostic eye exams:

• Yearly eye exam
• Glaucoma tests
• Macular degeneration

Why do I need dental and vision insurance coverage?

If you are in the market for dental and vision insurance and find yourself asking, “Why do I need it?” consider the advantages to your overall health. Our oral and ocular health can be key indicators for detecting early stages of many health risks and diseases, as well as helping prevent many other health issues.

Ashford Insurance understands that your Dental and vision needs are unique

There are separate, standalone plans for vision or dental benefits that can be used on top of a health insurance plan as a form of supplemental insurance. There are even dental and vision insurance “packages” that offer benefits for both.

We’re committed to finding you the dental and vision plan that meets your needs.