# What the Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act Actually Does

This bill would add dental, vision, and hearing care to Medicare coverage, which is a major change since Medicare currently doesn't pay for these services. Right now, millions of seniors have to pay out of their own pockets for things like teeth cleanings, eye exams, and hearing aids—or they simply go without. This bill would change that starting in 2024.

For dental care, Medicare would cover everything from routine cleanings and exams to more complex work like root canals, crowns, and bridges. You'd get two cleanings and two exams per year covered completely at no cost to you. For other dental work, the coverage would phase in gradually: starting in 2025, Medicare would cover 30% of the cost, jumping to 60% in 2026, and reaching 80% by 2027. If you're a low-income senior who qualifies for extra help with prescription drug costs, you'd get better coverage faster—hitting that 80% level in 2025 instead of waiting until 2027. Dentures would be covered too, with Medicare paying 80% of the cost starting in 2025, and you could get a new set once every five years.

Vision care would include routine eye exams and the tests to check if you need glasses or contacts. Medicare would pay 80% of these costs starting in 2024. For hearing services, the bill would cover hearing exams and hearing aids, also at 80% coverage from the start. Low-income seniors would get 100% coverage for preventive services like cleanings and exams right away, with no out-of-pocket costs. The bill gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services flexibility to set additional rules, like requiring prior approval for certain services or adjusting coverage based on medical evidence. Essentially, this would eliminate one of the biggest gaps in Medicare coverage that currently forces seniors to choose between affording dental work, new glasses, or hearing aids and paying for other necessities.

Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2023

Doggett, Lloyd

Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2023 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care. Coverage includes (1) routine dental cleanings and exams, basic and major dental services, emergency dental care, and dentures; (2) routine eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses; and (3) routine hearing exams, hearing aids, and exams for hearing aids. With respect to such care, the bill establishes special payment rules, limitations, and coinsurance requirements.