While Medicare will cover most of your medical expenses once you enroll, it isn’t free healthcare, and it won’t pay for many treatments and services that you’ll likely need as you age. That is why so many seniors on Medicare also purchase private supplemental insurance coverage — also called Medigap plans — that can help fill in these significant gaps in Medicare coverage.
As you evaluate whether to purchase a Medigap plan – and you should – here are seven things that Medicare doesn’t cover and that you’ll be on the hook for paying if you don’t have Medicare supplemental insurance.
1. Opticians and Eye Exams
While original Medicare will cover medically necessary ophthalmologic expenses such as cataract surgery, it won’t cover routine eye exams, optician visits, prescription glasses, or contact lenses. Unfortunately, most Medigap plans don’t cover such services either, though some Medicare Advantage plans do.
2. Hearing Aids
Medicare will pay for ear-related medical conditions, but it won’t pay for routine hearing tests or hearing aids.
3. Dental Work
Original Medicare and Medigap policies do not cover routine dental care such as checkups or more significant and costly services, like root canals and dentures. However, some Medicare Advantage plans do provide dental coverage.
4. Medical Care While Abroad
If you want to spend your golden years traveling the globe, Medicare won’t do you much good if you get sick or need medical care while traveling overseas. Original Medicare and most Medicare Advantage plans offer virtually no coverage for medical costs incurred outside the United States. Seniors who travel abroad frequently should consider Medigap plans that provide such coverage.
5. Podiatry
Medicate does not cover routine medical care for feet, such as callus removal. Medicare Part B does cover foot exams or treatment for diabetes-related nerve damage and foot injuries or ailments, such as hammertoe, bunion deformities, and heel spurs.
6. Cosmetic Surgery and Hair Transplants
Fighting the aging process through cosmetic surgery or a hair transplant may make you feel younger, but Medicare doesn’t care and generally won’t cover elective cosmetic procedures or treatments, though it may cover medically necessary plastic surgery required due to accidental injury.
7. Long-term Care
This is perhaps the biggest gap in Medicare coverage. If you need to move into an assisted living facility or nursing home, Medicare won’t pay for your custodial costs. Without supplemental coverage, long-term care insurance, or the ability to qualify for Medicaid, the astronomical costs of long-term care can quickly drain your retirement savings.
Contact Every Way Health To Learn More About Medigap Coverage
If you need assistance in choosing the Medicare supplemental insurance plan that’s best for you, please get in touch with Every Way Health at 877-460-3943.