Does Medicare Cover Dentures for Seniors?
Medicare Advantage plans often cover dentures, but Original Medicare doesn't.
If you don't want a Medicare Advantage plan, you can buy a separate dental insurance plan that covers dentures. You'll have to pay a separate monthly rate, but it could be worth it to get your dentures and other dental care covered.
Does Medicare cover dentures?
Does Medicare cover dentures or implants?
Original Medicare doesn't cover dentures.
If you have Original Medicare, also called Medicare Part A and Part B, you will need to buy a separate dental insurance plan to cover dentures.
Original Medicare doesn't usually cover any dental care, except in specific situations.
Does Medicare Advantage cover dentures?
Many Medicare Advantage plans cover dentures and other dental care.
But the coverage depends on which plan you choose, and not all plans cover dentures or dental care. If you're shopping for a Medicare Advantage plan specifically to get dentures, make sure the plan you're considering has the coverage.
Best Medicare Advantage plans for dentures
Humana, AARP/UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield are the best Medicare Advantage companies and are good places to start looking for denture coverage.
Most Medicare Advantage plans include at least some dental coverage, but not all plans cover dentures. As you're shopping for a plan, check the plan documents to make sure dentures are covered and you know how much the plan will pay.
Best stand-alone plans for denture coverage
Aetna and Humana have the best dental insurance plans if you need dentures.
Both the Aetna Dental Direct Preferred PPO plan and the Humana Complete Dental plan pay half the cost for dentures. But you have to wait at least 12 months after you buy the policy before the plan will pay for dentures and other major dental services.
Aetna plans come with a free CVS ExtraCare Plus membership, which gives you access to CVS pharmacy discounts, a 24/7 pharmacy helpline, free shipping for online CVS purchases and sales prices when you shop at CVS.
Humana doesn't have the same extra perks as Aetna, but it offers more dental plans. There are eight different dental plans to choose from, so you can pick the one that best fits your needs.
Frequently asked questions
How often will Medicare pay for a set of dentures?
If you're eligible for Medicare and need dentures, you may want to look into Medicare Advantage or a separate dental insurance plan. Some plans cover a new set of dentures every five years. Original Medicare doesn't cover dentures.
Does Medicare Advantage cover dentures?
Some Medicare Advantage plans cover dentures. But it's up to the insurance company that sells the plan to decide what kinds of dental care are covered and how much coverage you'll have. If you need dentures, choose a plan that specifically includes denture coverage.
Do Medigap plans cover dental?
Medigap policies don't automatically cover dentures or other dental care. But some Medicare Supplement companies let you add optional dental coverage to your plan.
Sources
Information on Original Medicare coverage for dental services is from Medicare.gov. Medicare Advantage coverage for dental services and dentures varies by company and plan. Stand-alone dental insurance plan information is from Aetna and Humana. Information about various aspects of Medicare dental coverage is from Kaiser Family Foundation.
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