Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025
Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025 ## What the Bill Would Do This bill would expand Medicare coverage to include dental care, hearing aids, and vision services—benefits that are currently not covered by standard Medicare. Specifically, it would pay for dental cleanings and treatments, dentures, hearing aids with related services, routine eye exams, and eyeglasses. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would establish payment rates for these services, with dental care premiums being phased in gradually starting in 2028. ## Who It Affects This bill would primarily affect the approximately 67 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, who are mostly seniors age 65 and older.
It would also impact healthcare providers who offer dental, hearing, and vision services, as they would need to work with Medicare's new payment structures. ## Current Status The bill is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full Senate. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced the bill in the 119th Congress. The legislation would require funding allocations for the CMS to implement these new coverage expansions if it advances through the legislative process.
CRS Official Summary
Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025This bill provides for coverage of dental, hearing, and vision care under Medicare.Specifically, the bill provides for coverage ofdental and oral health services, including cleanings, treatments, and dentures;hearing aids and related services, including aural rehabilitation services; and vision services, including routine eye exams and eyeglasses.The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must set a fee schedule for dental and oral health services based on the national median fees for similar services, and it must phase in adjustments to premiums for Medicare medical services to account for coverage of dental and oral health services over a three-year period beginning in 2028. Payment to providers of hearing aid services must be made on an assignment-related basis; payment to providers of vision services must be made under the physician fee schedule.The bill provides funds for FY2025 for the CMS to implement the bill's changes.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.