Original Medicare Doesn't Cover This Routine Exam
There are two types of Medicare coverage you can access in the U.S., original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Original Medicare is accepted by any medical professional or facility that accepts Medicare for payment in the U.S. It offers healthcare coverage in three parts — Part A for hospital stays, Part B for standard medical services, and Part D for prescriptions. While recent cuts to Medicare should give retirees pause, it's undoubtedly still of benefit to have it than not.
However, it's not bulletproof in the sense that there are things that Medicare doesn't now, nor did it ever, cover. It may surprise you to find out that some are services you would expect to be covered. Even in situations where a user needs to be hospitalized, Medicare won't cover inpatient hospital costs forever. There are also more routine services, like eye exams, that aren't traditionally covered by Medicare. However, there are a few exceptions for certain conditions or diabetic patients. But for the majority of patients, it's best to learn what to expect and save yourself from shock when you have to pay for your next optometrist visit.
Medicare likely won't cover your eye exam expenses
Where Medicare is concerned, the 'eyes' don't necessarily have it. At least, they don't necessarily have coverage for routine procedures under either Part A or Part B. For example, if you feel like you need your eyes checked, that routine vision exam is something you'll likely pay for. Routine eye exams generally involve checking for everyday sight issues like farsightedness, nearsightedness, or astigmatism.
Without insurance, an eye exam can cost from about $50 to over $200, plus more if you need glasses. Original Medicare doesn't cover the cost of glasses either. A Consumer Reports survey indicated that the median price uninsured customers paid out of pocket ranged from $224 to $511. In light of this, and other routine healthcare costs that original Medicare won't cover, there's a good case to be made for why a health savings account might make sense for you.
Keep in mind, there are exceptions. Medicare Part B will cover 80% of the cost of an annual exam for diabetics and patients at high risk for glaucoma or macular degeneration after the Part B deductible is met. Where glasses are concerned, if you require a special lens due to cataract surgery, Medicare will also cover 80% of the cost of one pair of glasses if you've met the deductible.