New-to-Medicare Bootcamp: Day 5
What Medicare Doesn’t Cover (And What You Can Do About It)
Welcome to Day 5 of the "New to Medicare" Bootcamp!
We’re tackling two topics that don’t get talked about enough but are incredibly important:
- How to get dental, vision, and hearing coverage when you're on Medicare
- What kind of ongoing upkeep your Medicare plan needs to stay in shape
If you missed any of the earlier days in the Bootcamp, you can find all the past blog posts by browsing the Decoding Medicare blog.
What Medicare Doesn’t Cover
Here’s what Original Medicare (Parts A & B) doesn’t include:
- Routine dental care like cleanings, fillings, or crowns
- Eye exams for glasses and the glasses themselves
- Hearing tests and hearing aids
Medically necessary procedures (like cataract surgery or treatment for glaucoma) and exams to check for these medical issues are covered. But if you’re going to an optometrist for a routine appointment to update your glasses prescription, you’re likely footing the bill.
Your Options for Dental, Vision & Hearing Coverage
When you’re on Medicare, you’ve got two main paths to add dental, vision, and hearing coverage:
1. Standalone Plans
These are private plans that you buy separately. Some are dental-only, and others bundle dental, vision, and hearing.
💲 Typical cost: $35–$65/month depending on benefits
2. Medicare Advantage Plans
Some Advantage plans include extra benefits like dental and vision, but they vary a lot.
Important: Only choose an Advantage plan for medical coverage first, not just the dental extras. Don’t let free cleanings be the reason you give up better medical benefits.
5 Things to Look for in a Plan
Before you sign up for a dental or bundled plan, make sure you understand:
- Waiting periods – Will you have to wait before major services are covered?
- Deductibles – What’s the upfront cost before the plan pays?
- Preventive care – Are cleanings and exams fully covered?
- Major services – What percent is covered for crowns, root canals, etc.?
- Annual maximum – What’s the cap on what the plan will pay each year?
Plans I Recommend Most Often
Here are the three dental plan options I work with and recommend most:
🦷 Manhattan Life (Dental + Vision + Hearing)
- Up to 80% coverage for major services
- One deductible for all three services
- Works with any provider, but better rates in-network
💎 Physicians Mutual (Dental only, vision optional)
- No annual cap on dental coverage
- No deductible
- Preventive care covered at 100% in-network
- Optional vision/hearing add-on available
💼 NCD/MetLife (Dental only)
- Uses the large MetLife network
- Predictable copays instead of percentages
- Very affordable ($35/month range), may not be available in all states & zip codes.
- Great if your current dentist accepts MetLife
And if you’re not a fit for any of the plans I offer, I’ll point you to a few outside options like the AARP Delta Dental HMO or even a dental savings plan.
How to Keep Your Medicare Plan on Track
Even if you’re happy with your current plan, it’s important to review things each year.
Here’s why:
🔄 Part D and Advantage Plans Change Every Year
Drug formularies, premiums, deductibles, and pharmacy networks can all change year to year, without you realizing it until it’s too late. That’s why October 15 to December 7 is the time to review and make changes.
📉 Medigap Premiums Go Up
If you have a Medigap plan, your rates will likely increase over time. The good news? If your health is stable, you can often switch to a lower-cost version of the same plan. I help with that too. (Some states allow you to change every year or around your birthday, regardless of health).
🗓 There’s a Bonus Window in Jan–Mar
If you’re on a Medicare Advantage plan and realize in January it’s not a good fit, there’s a one-time Open Enrollment Period from Jan 1–Mar 31 that allows you to make a switch.
Quick Recap

- Medicare doesn’t cover dental, vision, or hearing
- You can get coverage through a standalone or Advantage plan
- Not all plans are equal, know what to look for
- Medicare plans should be reviewed every year
🎉 You Made It to the Finish Line!
If you’ve followed along through all five days of the Medicare Bootcamp, congratulations! You’ve just taken a big step toward understanding your Medicare options and feeling more confident about the choices ahead.
Missed a day? You can go back and catch up anytime, especially Day 4 on Medicare Part D . And stay tuned, I'll be sharing even more helpful resources in the coming weeks.
👉 Ready for your next step?
Grab your
free Medicare Workbook below. It’s packed with simple, easy-to-follow guidance to help you stay organized and make smart decisions as you move forward.
