Dental and Vision Insurance for Seniors: 4 Questions to Pick a Plan

See the world. Eat good food. Smile. If that sounds like a good way to grow old, dental and vision insurance for seniors can help you. How?

• Good dental care from a dentist may help protect your oral health and keep your teeth strong and healthy for longer with regular check-ups and treatments.
• Vision check-ups from an eye doctor (ophthalmologist optometrist) to keep your senior eyes healthy as you age with preventive care, glasses, surgery, and other treatments. Getting your eyes checked can help spot and treat early signs of aged-related vision loss, as well as other health issues like diabetes.

So, how can you keep your teeth healthy and protect your vision as you age?

Start by making sure you’re visiting the doctor or dentist regularly. These four questions will help you pick the right dental and vision insurance:

1. What Dental and Vision Plans for Medicare Recipients are Available?

Medicare Parts A and B, or Original Medicare, are only designed to cover specific medical services.

• Part A includes things like inpatient hospital insurance and skilled nursing facility coverage.
• Part B includes outpatient hospital insurance and doctor visits.

If you are using Medicare for your health insurance, you will have to look outside of Original Medicare for dental or vision benefits.

2. Can Medigap Plans Cover Dental or Vision?

Although Medigap plans are sold by private insurance companies, they usually do not cover dental and vision plans for seniors.

Medigap plans can help you cover out-of-pocket medical expenses. For example, Medigap plans can cover things like:

• Part A coinsurance
• Part B coinsurance or copayments
• Blood transfusions
• Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayments
• Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance
• Part A deductibles
• Part B deductibles
• Part B excess charges
• Foreign travel emergencies

To find coverage, check out the options for stand-alone dental and vision plans for seniors, and choose a plan.

3. Do Stand-alone Dental and Vision Insurance Plans for Seniors Exist?

Yes, stand-alone dental and vision plans designed specifically for seniors exist. These plans can be found through private health insurance agencies, like HealthMarkets. A stand-alone plan may be the right fit for you if you are on Medicare.

Let’s examine the benefits often associated with these kinds of plans.

Benefits: Dental Plans for Seniors

• Preventive (Ex: prophylaxis)
• Diagnostic (Ex: oral evaluations, X-rays, casts, films)
• Restorative (Ex: amalgam, inlays and onlays, crowns, pin retention in addition to restoration, sedative fillings)
• Adjunctive (Ex: emergency pain treatment, fixed partial denture sectioning, local anesthesia, inhalation of nitrous oxide, occlusion and analysis and occlusion adjustment)
• Endodontics (Ex: pulp caps, root canal)
• Oral Surgery (Ex: extraction, tooth transplant, alveoloplasty, removal of cyst or tumor, incision and drainage of abscess)
• Prosthodontics (Ex: complete and partial dentures, adjustment and repair of dentures)
• Periodontics (Ex: gingivectomy/gingivoplasty, gingival flap procedure and osseous surgery, soft tissue graft procedures, periodontal scaling and root planning, full-mouth debridement)

Benefits: Vision Plans For Seniors

• Eye exam
• Corrective Spectacle Lenses
• Frames
• Corrective Contact Lenses
• Discounts on LASIK or PRK Vision Correction

The benefits and premiums of stand-alone plans may vary greatly depending on three factors:

• the insurance company you select
• your location
• your choice of benefit level

If you’re interested in finding coverage that’s right for your needs, talk to a licensed insurance agent in your area before purchasing a stand-alone dental or vision plan.

4. Does Medicare Advantage Cover Dental and Vision Plans for Seniors?

Yes, many Medicare Advantage plans include dental and vision plans for seniors.
These Medicare Advantage (or Medicare Part C) plans (which are sold by private health insurance companies) can include benefits like:

• Hearing coverage
• Health and wellness programs
• Prescription drug coverage

If you are looking for this kind of coverage, a Medicare Advantage plan may be right for you. Just make sure the plan covers the types of vision and dental benefits you need.

HealthMarkets Can Help You Find Dental and Vision Plans for Seniors

If you’re looking for standalone dental and vision plans, a licensed insurance agent can help, at no cost to you.

A licensed insurance agent can help you in three main ways:

• show you the plans available in your area
• compare benefits
• help you enroll in a plan

Want help choosing the right insurance plans for your unique needs? Call (800) 827-9990 to speak to a licensed insurance agent today, or find a licensed insurance agent near you.