Short answer: Original Medicare generally does not cover routine dental, vision, or hearing care, hearing aids, most long-term custodial care, or care outside the U.S. Some Medicare Advantage plans add dental, vision, and hearing benefits.
Many people are surprised by the gaps in Original Medicare (Parts A and B). It generally does not cover routine dental care or dentures, routine eye exams or eyeglasses, routine hearing exams or hearing aids, most long-term custodial care (like an extended nursing-home stay for daily-living help), cosmetic surgery, or most care received outside the United States.
There are paths to fill some gaps. Many Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans bundle in dental, vision, and hearing benefits and sometimes extras like fitness programs. Standalone dental, vision, or hearing plans can be purchased separately, and a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy helps with Original Medicare’s deductibles and coinsurance, though Medigap does not add dental or vision benefits.
Long-term custodial care remains a major gap: it is covered by Medicaid only after spending down assets, or by separate long-term care insurance. When choosing between Original Medicare plus Medigap and a Medicare Advantage plan, weigh which gaps matter most to you and how each option addresses them.