What Does Medicare Assignment Mean?
Medicare assignment means a doctor, provider or supplier agrees to accept the Medicare-approved amount as full payment for a covered service.
What Doesn’t Original Medicare Cover?
Last Modified: 10/05/2026 | Reviewed by Keith Armbrecht (NPN 634015)
Quick Summary
Original Medicare covers a large amount of medically necessary healthcare, but it doesn’t cover everything.
Services generally not covered include most routine dental care, routine eye exams for prescription glasses, hearing aids, most long-term custodial care, routine physical exams, cosmetic surgery and medical care outside the United States except in limited circumstances.
Understanding these gaps can help you decide whether you need other insurance or additional benefits.
Key Facts
Original Medicare generally doesn’t cover:
- Most routine dental care
- Dentures
- Routine eye exams for prescription eyewear
- Most eyeglasses
- Hearing aids
- Hearing-aid fitting exams
- Long-term custodial care
- Routine physical exams
- Cosmetic surgery
- Massage therapy
- Concierge care
- Most healthcare outside the United States
- Most outpatient prescription drugs without Part D
Dental Care
Original Medicare generally doesn’t cover routine dental services such as:
- Cleanings
- Fillings
- Routine extractions
- Dentures
However, Medicare can cover certain dental services when they’re closely connected to specific Medicare-covered medical treatment.
So the rule isn’t simply:
“Medicare never covers dental.”
Vision
Original Medicare doesn’t generally cover routine eye exams solely to prescribe eyeglasses.
There are exceptions for medically necessary eye care.
For example, Medicare may cover certain tests and treatment for diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration or diabetic eye disease when coverage requirements are met.
Hearing
Original Medicare generally doesn’t cover:
Hearing aids
or:
Exams solely for fitting hearing aids.
Medically necessary diagnostic hearing examinations can be covered in applicable situations.
Long-Term Care
One of the biggest misunderstandings is nursing-home care.
Medicare can cover short-term skilled nursing facility care when its requirements are met.
But Medicare doesn’t generally cover:
Long-term custodial care
when that’s the only care you need.
Prescription Drugs
Original Medicare Part A and Part B cover certain drugs in specific circumstances.
But most outpatient prescription medications are covered through:
Medicare Part D
Care Outside the United States
Original Medicare generally doesn’t cover healthcare outside the U.S., with limited exceptions.
Some Medigap plans provide limited foreign-travel emergency benefits.
Does Medigap Cover Dental, Vision and Hearing?
Standard Medigap policies generally don’t add routine dental, routine vision or hearing-aid coverage.
Medigap is primarily designed to fill certain Original Medicare cost-sharing gaps, not every service Medicare excludes.
Video Explanation from Keith
7 Things Medicare Doesn’t Cover
Keith's Take
The biggest surprise on this list is usually long-term care.
People hear:
“Medicare covers skilled nursing.”
Then they assume that means Medicare will pay indefinitely if they need a nursing home.
It doesn’t.
Skilled rehabilitation care and long-term custodial care are very different things.
That’s an important retirement-planning distinction.
Keith Armbrecht
Medicare on Video
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does Medicare cover dental?
A. Most routine dental care isn't covered by Original Medicare, although limited medically related exceptions exist.
Q. Does Medicare cover dentures?
A. Generally no.
Q. Does Medicare cover eyeglasses?
A. Generally not routine eyewear, although certain coverage can apply after cataract surgery and in other specific situations.
Q. Does Medicare cover hearing aids?
A. No, Original Medicare generally doesn't cover hearing aids.
Q. Does Medicare cover nursing homes?
A. It can cover qualifying short-term skilled nursing facility care, but not indefinite custodial long-term care.
Q. Does Medicare cover prescriptions?
A. Some drugs are covered under Part A or B, but most outpatient prescription coverage is obtained through Part D.
Q. Does Medicare cover healthcare overseas?
A. Generally no, except in limited situations.
Q. Does Medigap cover everything Medicare doesn't?
A. No.
Official Government Sources
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