DENTAL, VISION & HEARING
The three things Medicare leaves you to pay for.
Original Medicare does not cover routine dental, routine vision or hearing aids. For most people these turn out to be the largest predictable out-of-pocket costs of later life, and the easiest to plan for.
WHAT IT IS
Standalone cover, and what the “extras” really include
Original Medicare pays nothing toward cleanings, fillings, dentures, glasses, contact lenses or hearing aids. Many Medicare Advantage plans include an allowance for these, which is genuinely useful — but an allowance is a capped dollar amount, and the caps are usually well below the cost of real dental work.
A standalone dental, vision and hearing plan sits alongside whatever else you have. It has its own premium, its own annual maximum and, for the bigger procedures, usually a waiting period before the cover begins.
There is also a category that is not insurance at all: discount plans, which simply give you a reduced rate at participating providers. They can be good value for someone who mostly needs cleanings. They are not cover, and we will always tell you which of the two you are looking at.
Who it is for
Anyone on Medicare, and anyone under 65 whose health plan covers adult dental poorly or not at all.
What Medicare covers
Nothing toward routine dental, routine vision or hearing aids.
Watch the ceiling
Annual maximums and waiting periods matter more than the monthly premium.
Not always insurance
Discount plans are not cover. We will say which one you are being shown.
Is this you?
- You are on Medicare and have just discovered dental is not included.
- You need a crown, a bridge or dentures and have not budgeted for it.
- Your Advantage plan has a dental allowance and you do not know what it covers.
- You have been putting off hearing aids because of the price.
- You are under 65 with a health plan that covers adult dental barely or not at all.
If any of these sound familiar, a 10-minute conversation will cost you nothing and probably answer more than you expect.
WHAT WE HELP WITH
What a DVH review covers
01
Dental
Preventive, basic and major services — what each tier includes, the annual maximum, and what a crown or a denture would actually leave you paying.
02
Vision
Routine eye exams, frames, lenses and contact allowances, plus what happens with an existing prescription.
03
Hearing
Hearing exams and the allowance toward aids, which are among the largest uncovered costs most people meet.
04
Your Advantage allowance
If you already have an Advantage plan, what its dental and vision benefit genuinely covers before a standalone plan is even discussed.
05
Waiting periods
Which services are available immediately and which require six or twelve months of premiums first.
06
Insurance versus discount plans
Which you are looking at, what the difference means in practice, and when a discount plan is the better buy.
Common questions
Does my Medicare Advantage plan already cover this?
Often partly. Bring your plan documents and we will read the actual allowance with you before suggesting anything additional.
Is there a waiting period?
For preventive care, usually not. For major work such as crowns and dentures, typically six to twelve months depending on the plan.
Can I keep my own dentist?
Depends on the plan. Some pay the same regardless of provider; others pay more in network. We check your dentist before you enrol.
What do hearing aids actually cost?
Considerably more than most people expect, and the allowance on a typical plan covers a portion rather than the whole. We will be straight with you about the gap.
Can I buy dental on its own?
Yes. Dental, vision and hearing can be bought together or separately, depending on what you actually use.
Is it worth it if my teeth are fine?
Sometimes not, and we will say so. If you only need two cleanings a year, paying cash or using a discount plan can cost less than a premium.
Let's start with teb minutes
No cost, no pressure, and nothing sold on the first call. We listen first.
No cost · No pressure · Phone or video, wherever you are