# New bill for adding dental hearing vision to medicare



## Victor (Aug 31, 2021)

A big trillion dollar bill is in Senate to add dental hearing and vision benefits to medicare. . It's not a political post is it? Should be bipartisan. Those of you who reside in red states could write or call their federal leaders. I hope hearing aids are. Dentist Association is against it


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## Alligatorob (Aug 31, 2021)

Victor said:


> A big trillion dollar bill is in Senate to add dental hearing and vision benefits to medicare.


I am on Medicare and would very much like this coverage.  

However who is going to pay for it?  Is that included in the bill?


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## Murrmurr (Aug 31, 2021)

I thought that bill already passed. I got an Explanaition of (new) Benefits in the mail that implies that it did.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Aug 31, 2021)

I hope it becomes a reality. My hearing aids have already cost me as much as a car since my first pair and the ones I'm wearing now are on borrowed time.


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## Tish (Aug 31, 2021)

That is great news!


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## fmdog44 (Aug 31, 2021)

The only time the Senate needs hearing aids is when the citizens speak to them.


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## Kaila (Aug 31, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> I thought that bill already passed. I got an Explanaition of (new) Benefits in the mail that implies that it did.


Do you have one of the _Medicare Advantage_ plans?  They were already covering whichever of the benefits are included in each of their unique plans;

but regarding the basic Medicare...I have not heard that they include any of those, (dental, hearing, vision)

until some new legislation passes all the steps, if it does.

Anyone correct me, if I am wrong.


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## Kaila (Aug 31, 2021)

Ruth n Jersey said:


> My hearing aids


It will be interesting to see, how they would cover them, if/when they do;
such as they might possibly only pay for certain ones, and not others, and they might not pay partially toward any other than the specified type.


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## Irwin (Aug 31, 2021)

This goes in the category of "things somebody should invent," but somebody should invent generic hearing aids that you can dial in for your own needs, where you wouldn't need to go to an audiologist or have them prescribed but you could just buy them on Amazon and use a free online hearing test to determine what frequencies you need boosted.

There may be something like that out there. I think some people use their smartphone with bluetooth earbuds to accomplish the same thing. I'll have to research it.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Aug 31, 2021)

Kaila said:


> It will be interesting to see, how they would cover them, if/when they do;
> such as they might possibly only pay for certain ones, and not others, and they might not pay partially toward any other than the specified type.


@Kaila that's what I was thinking also. I don't expect them to pay top of the line but a percentage off all brands would be nice.
Most likely they will completely cover the type in the photo. lol


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## Murrmurr (Aug 31, 2021)

Kaila said:


> Do you have one of the _Medicare Advantage_ plans?  They were already covering whichever of the benefits are included in each of their unique plans;
> 
> but regarding the basic Medicare...I have not heard that they include any of those, (dental, hearing, vision)
> 
> ...


I do not have _Medicare Advantage_ plan. I've had Medicare and Medi-Cal since a severe fall about 20 years ago that caused disabilities, some temporary, some permanent. 

Medi-Cal (Calif medicaid) got state approval to add dental, vision, and hearing benefits this year.


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## Alligatorob (Aug 31, 2021)

Does anyone know if this really did pass or if its in process?  

I did some Google searching and found that in 2018 a bill was passed that authorized sale of hearing aids without prescription.  That should lower the cost, but I could find nothing on Medicare paying.  Unfortunately it appears the FDA had drug their feet on getting the without prescription hearing aid thing moving...

I have probably needed hearing aids for a long time, my hearing was poor even as a kid, and it ain't getting any better.  So this is relevant to me.  Cost is one of the reasons I don't have them.


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## Kaila (Aug 31, 2021)

Alligatorob said:


> Does anyone know if this really did pass or if its in process?


I don't know for sure, but I did check at medicare.gov
which still has hearing aids _not covered.  And same with most dental and non-medical eye visits.

I don't think it is fully passed, at this time.
Anyone with more definite info, please post._


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## dobielvr (Aug 31, 2021)

I think with the Advantage plan you pay an add'l $25 or so to add on Dental and vision, and may be Silver Sneakers (not sure abt that one)

They may have added on more 'options' to choose from since I last looked.  A year or so ago.


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## Don M. (Aug 31, 2021)

Medicare currently doesn't cover dental, vision, etc.  Many Medicare Advantage plans do have such coverage, but even their coverage is minimal, at best.  We carry extra vision and dental plans in addition to the Medicare Advantage.  The vision plans are fairly good, but I have yet to find any Dental plans that cover much more than minor/routine services, at a reasonable premium.

Insofar as hearing aids are concerned, I haven't ever researched such services, But there must be some Big Money in that area.  I often get junk mail from an area hearing center which offers hundreds of dollars off the cost of their hearing aids.


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## Sunny (Sep 4, 2021)

The vision coverage is kind of weird. My regular visits to my eye doctor are covered by Medicare, all except the vision tests (reading the charts, testing for changes in glasses, etc.)  But all the other tests, for glaucoma, cataract care, etc. are covered.

At least the vision tests are relatively pretty inexpensive.


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## Nathan (Sep 4, 2021)

I have a Senior Advantage Plus program through Kaiser Permanente that I pay $20 a month for.  Has dental, vision, hearing and fitness coverage.  However, none of those "benefits" have much value in real life.


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## Devi (Sep 4, 2021)

Nathan said:


> I have a Senior Advantage Plus program through Kaiser Permanente that I pay $20 a month for.  Has dental, vision, hearing and fitness coverage.  However, none of those "benefits" have much value in real life.


Could you explain — why don't they have much value in real life?


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## Nathan (Sep 4, 2021)

Devi said:


> Could you explain — why don't they have much value in real life?


So what I pay monthly for the "Plus" coverage is $20($240/yr) The fitness coverage is an additional $25/mo. on top of the $20.  I can join a local fitness center for $10/mo. without the coverage.   For eyeglasses I can get my prescription filled out-of-pocket for $187; under the "Plus" plan I can only get glasses every 2 years($480 worth of additional Plus premiums).   The allowance for hearing aids is only about 10% of what they're going to cost, yeah....better than nothing but nothing really worth the additional "Plus" cost.    I've used my Dental coverage, is an HMO plan through Delta Dental.  $10 co-pay, got my x-rays paid for and a repair of loose crown, but the dentist wanted to charge me $500+ for cleaning. I left and never came back.


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## Knight (Sep 4, 2021)

A recent news article said the hearing, dental & vision inclusion  was part of the 3.5 trillion infrastructure bill.

Joe Manchin voted to advance the $3.5 trillion budget bill — now he says Democrats should press pause
PUBLISHED THU, SEP 2 20214:59 PM EDTUPDATED FRI, SEP 3 202110:55 AM EDT

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/02/joe...-trillion-biden-democratic-spending-bill.html

The Medicare portion may pass but as congress does so often kicking the can down the road could be the action taken.

As for my wife & me. Our Medicare advantage covers vision needs, hearing tests & reduced hearing aid cost. Dental is paid but we use a dentist that we've been going to for over 20 years doesn't accept Medicare. Good dental helps to promote good health so we pay for good dental.


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## Devi (Sep 4, 2021)

Ah, thanks @Nathan. We've run into a similar(?) issue — that the cost of the dental coverage didn't cover much at all, so adios to that.


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## Aunt Bea (Sep 4, 2021)

I thought that this was interesting.

_So why are dental, vision, and hearing coverage on the front burner now as lawmakers consider beefing up the program? Part may be self-serving for lawmakers tasked with appropriating funds. All three benefits "are less expensive than [adding] nursing home" coverage, says Oberlander._

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...icare-with-dental-vision-and-hearing-benefits


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## Irwin (Sep 4, 2021)

Our healthcare system is so screwed up, it almost makes one want socialized healthcare. When you have a medical condition, the last thing you want is to be flooded with bills causing even more stress in your life. I remember back in the 1980s, if you had some kind of treatment, you didn't get any bills as long as you had insurance, and every job provided insurance. Now, even if you have insurance, you still have co-pay bills, which can be hundreds of dollars a month, or your deductible which can be so high, you might just as well not have insurance.

In a related story, a bill has been introduced in the House to lower the Medicare eligibility age to 60. Any legislator who is truly "pro-life" and not just pro-fetus should support that bill.


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## Knight (Sep 4, 2021)

Aunt Bea said:


> I thought that this was interesting.
> 
> _So why are dental, vision, and hearing coverage on the front burner now as lawmakers consider beefing up the program? Part may be self-serving for lawmakers tasked with appropriating funds. All three benefits "are less expensive than [adding] nursing home" coverage, says Oberlander._
> 
> https://www.npr.org/sections/health...icare-with-dental-vision-and-hearing-benefits


Not likely any politician will introduce legislation that would limit foreign aid & eliminate pork spending in order to pass other legislation that would pay for vision, dental, hearing & nursing home. 
But maybe eventually, not in my lifetime when lack of natural resources make it impossible for any country to wage war on another that will happen.


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## Buckeye (Sep 4, 2021)

I'm on my 3rd pair of hearing aids.  Bought them on line after an online questionaire, paid about $400 for the pair, and they work as well as my first two rather expense ones.  It was a leap of faith but working out okay.

I'd love for medicare to cover dental.  I need some work done, and probably a new denture.


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## Kaila (Sep 4, 2021)

Buckeye said:


> I'm on my 3rd pair of hearing aids.  Bought them on line after an online questionaire, paid about $400 for the pair, and they work as well as my first two rather expense ones.  It was a leap of faith but working out okay.
> 
> I'd love for medicare to cover dental.  I need some work done, and probably a new denture.


That's excellent that those hearing aids you found, are helpful!

And I agree....dental coverage would help so much. Those prices have  sky-rocketed!


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## Butterfly (Sep 5, 2021)

I'm skeptical of them ever adding this coverage, and if so, if it would be worth it.  If they did add the coverage, I bet there'd be a big jump in medicare premiums.  Another problem would be if dentists would accept the coverage -- they can just opt out like doctors can.

I've never seen a dental plan that had coverage that was really worth anything, anyway.   Their designated dentists are always very expensive, and even with the dental insurance you can end up paying more out of pocket than with your ordinary dentist.


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## ohioboy (Sep 5, 2021)

Always check the Congressional Record. It appears not to be law at this time?

https://www.congress.gov/search?q={"source":"legislation","search":"vision"}


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## Kaila (Sep 6, 2021)

Butterfly said:


> I'm skeptical of them ever adding this coverage


I agree that it does seem very doubtful, yet so did many other improvements that have been eventually added to Medicare, so it's possible at some point.  It surely is needed by many people.


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## dobielvr (Dec 1, 2021)

There's a new Medicare Advantage plan called C-SNP that offers low to zero co pays.  It also includes dental vision and
hearing.  The C is for a chronic health condition.  Heart disease or diabetes.  SNP= special needs plan.

It really sounds to good to be true.  I'm trying to decide whether to stick w/my usual plan or switch to this one.
Decisions decisions.


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## Kaila (Dec 2, 2021)

Check on the details of any _Medicare Advantage_ plan, as there are many specifics.  I would wonder about limitations to your choices of providers (in your area, and if you need to switch in the future for some reason)
also which treatments they would or would not cover....etc, etc...How many approvals you might need _prior to having any of them....._


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## dobielvr (Dec 2, 2021)

Kaila said:


> Check on the details of any _Medicare Advantage_ plan, as there are many specifics.  I would wonder about limitations to your choices of providers (in your area, and if you need to switch in the future for some reason)
> also which treatments they would or would not cover....etc, etc...How many approvals you might need _prior to having any of them....._


Oh gosh, I've done all of that.  You should see all my notes!
The cost of the MRIs, if my labs are covered, still have all my same doctors.  Hospitals used.  It all falls in line.

I have a few more days to decide.


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