Medicare, unfortunately, does not cover everything. This lack of coverage includes such issues as the costs involved for senior citizens seeking medical help for health issues related to dental, visual or hearing problems.
Sure, Medicare Advantage and other supplemental plans can help with such gaps in insurance coverage. But Medicare Part A may only cover services rendered at a hospital that are deemed medically necessary. Meanwhile, coverage under Medicare Part B remains mostly limited to preventive services. So where are seniors expected to turn for help when it comes to the costs of various services that affect their health yet are not covered by their health insurance?
Many people may be surprised to learn that medical services by a dentist, optometrist or audiologist are not included under the Original Medicare umbrella. It’s especially surprising when considering that senior citizens are the ones who need such services the most. But that may change, thanks to a piece of legislation that was recently introduced to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health.
A new healthcare bill
U.S. Representative Sander Levin of Michigan recently introduced a bill that proposes including dental, hearing and eye care services in Medicare. The Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2017 [H.R. 3111] would nullify the current exclusion on coverage of important items and services, while expanding the Medicare benefit package to include dental, vision and hearing care. Levin, who remains a ranking member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, told Michigan Radio that “it’s important to improve and expand health insurance in the U.S., not limit it.”
When introducing the bill, Levin noted that the chasm in insurance coverage for senior citizens who need such services can be dangerous. This lack of coverage can lead to health issues resulting from various complications:
- Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are associated with a lack of appropriate dental care.
- Vision loss is the third leading chronic condition among seniors and can lead to depression, decrease of cognitive function, and increase of injuries due to falls.
- Hearing loss negatively affects nearly 66% of seniors by socially isolating them.
In addition to improving the quality of the lives of seniors who need better dental, auditory and visual care, Levin says the bill will also reduce the number of more serious and costly ailments. More specifically, H.R. 3111 would expand covered benefits under Medicare Part B, while consisting of reasonable means of expediting the application of the bill and limiting costs.
Coverage highlights
Broken down into three parts (Dental, Vision, Hearing), highlights of the bill include:
Dental
- Repeals the statutory exclusion on Medicare coverage of dental care and dentures.
- Expands Part B benefits to cover dental and oral health services, including routine cleanings and exams, fillings and crowns, major services such as root canals and extractions, emergency dental care, and other necessary services.
- Provides for payment for both full and partial dentures.
- Gradually phases in benefits over an eight-year period and contains reasonable cost containment measures.
Vision
- Repeals the statutory exclusion on Medicare coverage of vision care.
- Expands Part B benefits to include vision services, including routine eye exams, procedures performed to determine the refractive state of the eyes, and other necessary services.
- Provides for payment for eyeglasses, contact lenses, and low-vision devices.
- Gradually phases in benefits over an eight-year period and contains reasonable cost containment measures.
Hearing
- Repeals the statutory exclusion on Medicare coverage of hearing care.
- Expands Part B benefits to include hearing services, including hearing exams, exams for hearing aids, and other necessary services.
- Provides for payment for hearing aids.
- Gradually phases in benefits over an eight-year period and contains reasonable cost containment measures.
The Congressional Budget Office has not yet released its score for the bill, so there is nothing included in the bill regarding its funding. Levin told Michigan Radio that the expansion could be gradually phased in to give the federal budget time to adjust accordingly, and that the benefits could be limited for the time being in order to keep the expansion affordable for taxpayers.
Cosponsoring the bill with Levin were Ways and Means Ranking Member Richard Neal of Massachusetts, Representative John Lewis of Georgia, Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Representative Bill Pascrell of New Jersey, Representative Danny Davis of Illinois, Representative Brian Higgins of New York, Representative Terri Sewell of Alabama, and Representative Judy Chu of California.
Although a long path ahead remains likely for the completion of this bill, it is indeed a breath of fresh air amidst the recent turmoil over the Better Care Reconciliation Act and American Health Care Act, aka Trumpcare, which have been introduced to repeal the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.
The new Medicare Plus Card saves you up to 75% on things not covered by Medicare
Medicare doesn’t cover everything. Luckily, those on Medicare can now start saving on out of pocket expenses like prescription drugs, dental, vision, hearing, and more. Over 1 million people have already received their free Medicare Plus Card.
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