What does Medicare cover?
The honest answer is: it depends on which kind of Medicare you have. Here's what Original Medicare, Part D, Medigap, and Medicare Advantage each cover for the things people ask about most — including prescriptions — in plain language.
The basics: the four parts, and one add-on
Medicare comes in four parts — A, B, C and D — plus one optional add-on policy, Medigap. Here's how they fit together:
- Original Medicare (Parts A & B) covers hospital stays and medical care like doctor visits. It does not cover most dental, routine vision, hearing aids, or prescriptions.
- Part D (prescription drugs) is a separate plan sold by private insurers. Your yearly drug costs are capped ($2,100 in 2026; 2027 not yet confirmed) — but only for drugs on that plan's own list. Check your medications here.
- Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are run by private insurers. They must cover everything Original Medicare does, most include Part D drug coverage, and many add extras like dental, vision, and hearing — but the details vary plan by plan and county by county.
- Medigap is add-on insurance that helps pay what Original Medicare leaves behind. It doesn't add benefits like dental, vision, or drug coverage, and it can't be used with a Medicare Advantage plan.
Does Medicare cover dental?
Original Medicare: essentially no. It doesn't cover cleanings, fillings, extractions, dentures, or implants. It only pays for dental work that's part of a covered medical procedure — for example, a tooth extraction needed before jaw surgery.
Medicare Advantage: often yes. Most plans include some dental, but there's a big difference between "cleanings only" and coverage that includes fillings, crowns, and dentures. Check each plan's Summary of Benefits for annual dollar limits and which services are covered.
Dental coverage varies enormously between plans in the same county. Compare plans in your county →
Does Medicare cover vision?
Original Medicare: mostly no. Routine eye exams and glasses aren't covered. It does cover eye care for medical conditions — glaucoma tests for people at risk, diabetic eye exams, and treatment for macular degeneration.
Medicare Advantage: often yes. Many plans include a yearly routine eye exam and an allowance toward glasses or contact lenses. The allowance amount differs by plan.
If glasses or contacts matter to you, compare each plan's eyewear allowance. Compare plans in your county →
Does Medicare cover hearing aids?
Original Medicare: no. Hearing aids and the exams to fit them are not covered — one of the biggest gaps in Original Medicare, since hearing aids can cost thousands of dollars.
Medicare Advantage: sometimes. Many plans include hearing exams and a hearing aid benefit, but the allowance and how often you can use it vary widely. Some plans offer a set dollar amount every one to three years; others use copays through specific suppliers.
Hearing benefits differ more than almost any other extra — worth comparing closely. Compare plans in your county →
Does Medicare cover preventive care like mammograms?
Yes — usually at $0. Original Medicare (Part B) covers many preventive services with no deductible and no copay, as long as your provider accepts Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans must cover them at $0 too when you use an in-network provider.
- Screening mammograms once every 12 months for women 40 and older
- Colorectal cancer screenings, including colonoscopies
- Yearly "Wellness" visit to make a prevention plan with your doctor
- Flu, COVID-19, pneumonia and hepatitis B shots (shingles and some others are covered under Part D)
- Other screenings such as bone density, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and lung cancer for people who qualify
Watch for this surprise bill: a test is free when it's a routine screening. If it's diagnostic — checking a lump, a symptom, or an earlier abnormal result — your normal deductible and 20% share (or plan copay) can apply. The same goes if a polyp is removed during a screening colonoscopy, or if you bring up a new health problem during your free Wellness visit. When in doubt, ask the office before your appointment: "Will this be billed as preventive?"
Preventive care is covered no matter which kind of Medicare you choose. Compare plans in your county →
Does Medicare cover cataract surgery?
Yes — this one is covered. Cataract surgery is medical care, not routine vision, so Original Medicare Part B covers it (you pay the Part B deductible and typically 20% of the approved amount). Medicare even covers one pair of glasses or contact lenses after the surgery.
With Medicare Advantage, cataract surgery is also covered, but your copay or coinsurance is set by the plan, and you'll usually need to use the plan's network. A Medigap plan paired with Original Medicare can cover most or all of that 20%.
If surgery is on the horizon, compare each plan's outpatient surgery copay. Compare plans in your county →
Quick summary
| Original Medicare | Medigap | Medicare Advantage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prescriptions | No — needs a separate Part D plan | No | Usually included |
| Routine dental | No | No | Often — varies by plan |
| Eye exams & glasses | No | No | Often — varies by plan |
| Hearing aids | No | No | Sometimes — varies by plan |
| Cataract surgery | Yes (Part B) | Helps pay your share | Yes — plan copay applies |
| Preventive screenings (mammograms, etc.) | Yes — $0 when routine | Not needed — already $0 | Yes — $0 in-network |
Because Medicare Advantage extras vary plan by plan and county by county, the only way to know what's available to you is to look at the plans where you live.