Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2025

This bill would add dental, vision, and hearing care to Medicare. For dental, it covers routine cleanings, exams, X‑rays, and fluoride; fillings and periodontal care; major work like crowns and root canals; and emergency care, with up to two cleanings and two exams each year . Preventive dental care would be fully covered starting in 2026, while other dental work would phase in: 0% in 2026, 30% in 2027, 60% in 2028, and 80% from 2029 on; people who qualify for Medicare’s low‑income subsidy would get 80% coverage for other dental starting in 2027. Dentures would be covered at 80% starting in 2027, limited to one full upper and one full lower (or one partial upper and one partial lower) every five years, with Medicare allowed to set other reasonable limits or require prior approval; these dental changes apply to care on or after January 1, 2026 .

For vision, Medicare would cover one routine eye exam per year and pay 80% of allowed charges for vision services. Eyeglass lenses, frames, and contact lenses would also be covered at 80%, with caps: up to $100 for lenses each 12 months, $100 for frames each 24 months, and $200 for contacts each 24 months, with those dollar caps rising with inflation starting in 2027; Medicare may set other limits and require prior approval . Low‑vision devices (special devices that magnify or enhance vision) would be covered at 80%, and the bill removes the old exclusion on eyewear by treating eyewear and low‑vision devices as durable medical equipment; vision changes apply to care on or after January 1, 2026 . For hearing, Medicare would cover routine hearing exams and exams for hearing aids, paying 80% of allowed charges, and would cover hearing aids at 80% with a limit of one per ear every 48 months; Medicare may set other limits, such as prior approval or minimum hearing‑loss criteria, and these benefits begin January 1, 2026 . The bill also adds a dental professional to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which can help guide preventive coverage decisions.

• Who is affected: People with Medicare; lower‑income enrollees get extra dental help starting in 2027.
• What changes: Medicare adds dental (including dentures), vision (eye exams, eyewear, low‑vision devices), and hearing (exams and hearing aids), generally paying 80% of allowed charges, with some items fully covered if preventive and limits on how often you can get them; prior approval may apply in some cases .
• When: Most benefits start for care on or after January 1, 2026; non‑preventive dental coverage phases in from 2027 to 2029; eyewear dollar caps adjust for inflation starting in 2027 .