What Medicare "Doesn't" cover-Important gaps you should know about

Original Medicare provides valuable health insurance for millions of Americans. But it was never designed to cover everything. Let's go through the most significant items and services that Medicare "doesn't" pay for.

First, long-term care. This is also called custodial care - the kind of care you might need in a nursing home when you require help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, or using the bathroom. Medicare does not cover long-term care if that's the only care you need. This is perhaps the biggest gap in Medicare coverage, and it surprises many people.

Dental care is another major gap. Medicare does not cover routine dental checkups, cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, or dentures. Your oral health "is" important, but Medicare won't help with these costs. Vision care is also largely excluded. Medicare doesn't pay for routine eye exams for prescribing glasses. It also doesn't cover the cost of eyeglasses or contact lenses in most situations.

Cosmetic surgery is generally not covered unless it is needed because of an accidental injury or to improve the function of a malformed body part.

Some limited exceptions may apply for certain chiropractic and acupuncture services. Finally, most health care received outside the United States is not covered by Medicare. This is important to know if you travel internationally.

So, how do you fill these gaps? You have several options. Medicare "advantage" plans often offer some coverage for dental, vision, and hearing. Medigap policies help with Medicare's out-of-pocket costs but generally don't add these extra benefits.

Check out all of our Medicare tips here on SeniorTopia and if you have more questions, contact me at 858, 722, 8505. I'm David Wolfe - a Licensed Insurance Broker specializing in Medicare - and there's "never" a cost for my services. Thanks for listening!