March 20, 2023
Dental, Vision, and Hearing Covered Under New Bill
A new piece of legislation, the Medicare and Medicaid Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act, was introduced by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) to help Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries access comprehensive dental, vision, and hearing care under federal and state insurance programs. Some older adults can access these health services through Medicare Advantage plans or short-term individual plans, but often they come with high out-of-pocket costs. Dental, vision, and hearing issues affect older adults in many ways such as development of cardiovascular disease, exacerbating fall risks, and increasing social isolation.