Question from Caring.com Community Member, TonyK
My Mother, who is in her 80's, just told me that she needs new glasses based on a recent eye exam. She says her glasses are priced above $300. Does Medicare pay any portion of this cost? Thank-you, Tony K
Expert Answer by Joseph L. Matthews
Joseph L. Matthews is a Caring.com senior editor, an attorney, and the author of Long-Term Care: How to Plan & Pay for It and Social Security, Medicare, & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Benefits.
Sorry to say that Medicare doesn't normally cover any part of the cost of eyeglasses. Medicare Part B can pay for one basic pair of eyeglasses only if your mother had cataract surgery in which a new lens was implanted in her eye. Otherwise, Medicare Part B pays nothing for glasses.
The only other possibility for Medicare to contribute to the cost of your mother's glasses is if she belongs to a Medicare Part C "Medicare Advantage" HMO or other managed care plan. These plans provide slightly broader coverage than traditional Medicare Part B does, and a few of them pay some of the cost of eye exams and glasses. If she belongs to a Medicare Advantage plan, check with the plan administrator to see if there is any coverage for glasses.
