AARP – Medicare covers the majority of older Americans’ health care needs, from hospital care and doctor visits to lab tests and prescription drugs. Here are some needs that aren’t part of the program — and how you might pay for them.
1. Opticians and eye exams
While original Medicare covers ophthalmologic expenses such as cataract surgery, it doesn’t cover routine eye exams, glasses or contact lenses. Nor do any Medigap plans, the supplemental insurance that is available from private insurers to augment Medicare coverage. Some Medicare Advantage plans cover routine vision care and glasses.
Solution: For some people, it makes sense to buy a vision insurance policy for a few hundred dollars a year to defray the cost of glasses or contact lenses.
2. Hearing aids
Medicare covers ear-related medical conditions, but original Medicare and Medigap plans don’t pay for routine hearing tests or hearing aids.
Solution: If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, check your policy to see if it covers hearing-related needs. If it doesn’t, or if you have original Medicare, consider buying insurance or a membership in a discount plan that helps cover the cost of such hearing devices. Also, some programs help people with lower incomes get needed hearing support.
Or you can pay as you go. Congress passed legislation in 2017 that allows some hearing aids to be sold over the counter without a prescription. Medicare beneficiaries with mild to moderate hearing loss can now buy hearing aids at drugstores and other retail outlets without a prescription.
3. Dental work
Original Medicare and Medigap policies do not cover dental care such as routine checkups or big-ticket items, including dentures and root canals.
Solution: If your MA plan doesn’t include dental or you are enrolled in original Medicare, consider buying an individual dental insurance plan or a dental discount plan.
4. Overseas care
Original Medicare and most Medicare Advantage plans offer virtually no coverage for medical costs incurred outside the U.S.
Solution: Some Medigap policies cover certain overseas medical costs. If you travel frequently, you might want such an option. In addition, some travel insurance policies provide basic health care coverage — so check the fine print …
How illegal aliens get billions in healthcare benefits – while U.S. seniors struggle to afford hearing aids
Many illegals are really, really good at breaking the law …
HEADLINE HEALTH – While undocumented immigrants are officially ineligible for federal healthcare programs like Medicaid and Medicare, they know the loopholes and receive lots of guidance from immigration advocates and leftist-controlled state and local governments:
- “Some states provide fully state-funded coverage to fill gaps in coverage for immigrant children.” – KFF HEALTH NEWS
- Total Federal Medical Expenditures attributable to illegal aliens – FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM:
- Uncompensated Hospital Expenditures, $8,153,000,000
- Medicaid Births, $1,596,902,000
- Medicaid Fraud, $7,997,566,000
- Medicaid for U.S.-Born Children of Illegal Aliens, $5,385,007,000
- Total, $23,132,475,000
- Leftist organizations actively promote illegal alien access to services intended for Americans, such as “A Guide for Helping Immigrants and Refugees Access Health Services” published by The University of Southern California.
- USC says that figuring out how to access services they didn’t pay for and aren’t entitled to causes “chronic stress” for illegal aliens, and makes them “distrust” Americans:
“Changes in government immigration and insurance policies directly affect immigrant health as well. U.S. federal policies focused on limiting immigration, increasing funding for immigration enforcement and limiting public assistance for immigrant families induce chronic stress and distrust among immigrant families.” [emphasis added]
