Medicare Expansion: Comprehensive Dental, Vision, and Hearing Coverage.
This Act expands the federal Medicare program to include comprehensive dental, vision, and hearing benefits, effective starting January 1, 2026. Citizens enrolled in Medicare will gain access to regular check-ups, cleanings, hearing aids, and eyeglasses, significantly reducing their out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. The law introduces frequency limits for services and a phased-in coverage schedule for non-preventive dental care.
Key points
Dental: Medicare will cover 100% of preventive services (e.g., cleanings, exams) starting 2026, and up to 80% of basic and major services (e.g., crowns, root canals) by 2029.
Vision: Coverage includes routine eye exams (once every 12 months) and 80% coverage for eyeglasses, contact lenses, and low vision devices, subject to dollar limits on frames and lenses.
Hearing: Coverage includes routine hearing exams and hearing aids, with 80% coverage. Hearing aids are limited to one per ear every four years.
Cost Sharing: Non-preventive services will require cost-sharing (coinsurance), which will generally be 20% once the program is fully implemented.
Introduced
Citizen Poll