Teeth, eyes, and ears need healthcare, too!
We usually talk with you about Medicare topics – coverage, when to sign up, the latest news from the policy wonks. But, what about those services that are important to your health but are not covered under Medicare? These services, of course, are the big three: dental, vision, and hearing. What Medicare doesn’t cover is noticeable in health coverage.
Dental
Medicare doesn’t cover everything you will most likely need but will cover certain aspects of the big three, but not the more costly ones like root canals and hearing aids. Medicare doesn’t cover regular treatment for cleaning or repair of teeth, etc. It will cover treatment that is an “integral part of a covered procedure,” such as an oral exam prior to an organ transplant. It will pay for putting your jaw back together after an accident.
Vision
Medicare doesn’t cover regular eye exams for glasses. It will cover preventative and diagnostic exams for glaucoma or macular degeneration.
Hearing
It will not pay for a hearing exam or for a hearing aid. Part B will cover a diagnostic exam ordered by your doctor.
So, what do you do to help with the costs of all these exams and treatments that come with aging? Here is a solution.
Senior Dental, Vision, and Hearing Plans
There are plans outside of Medicare that will guarantee pre-negotiated rates with a dentist, eye doctor, or ear doctor. In fact, there are many, many plans. We’re going to recommend two to you that we think are a very good value. Visit our online resource center to find out more. There are links for you to investigate any number of plans.
The important things to look for are whether or not your doctors are on a plan and, if not, how you might identify one that will fit your needs. Of course, you need to compare premium rates, which the site will do. You will able to compare pricing with and without insurance for all available services.
Aetna
The two plans we like a lot are both with Aetna. One is called Aetna Vital Savings, which covers dental, hearing, and vision expenses, as well as prescription drugs. The other is the Aetna Dental Access, which only covers dental. Vital Savings is more per year, but both a very reasonable.
If you do decide to choose a plan, look on the site, up in the right-hand corner. You will see a box to enter a broker code. I receive a small payment for referring you. My broker number to enter is 115369. I thank you in advance if you do enter my number. This helps me continue to be able to help you with information like this.
Save Money with These Plans
These plans will save you a considerable amount of money. For instance, a root canal with no insurance could cost close to $1,000. With insurance, it could be half that price.
Everyone needs dental care, so we recommend that you, at the very least, look into coverage for that. If you also are experiencing hearing and vision problems, there are plans that will make treatment much easier on your pocketbook.