The gap nobody expects
Cleanings, fillings, dentures, eye exams, glasses, hearing tests, hearing aids: Original Medicare covers none of it in routine form. Since seniors use these services more than anyone, the gap surprises almost every new beneficiary.
Option one: Advantage plan extras
Most Medicare Advantage plans build in dental, vision and hearing allowances at no added premium. Read the ceilings: allowances commonly cover cleanings and basics well, major work only partly. For many people this is enough.
Option two: a standalone DVH plan
Supplement holders and anyone wanting richer benefits can buy a dedicated dental-vision-hearing policy for a modest monthly premium. Benefits often grow over the first years of the policy, so buying before you need major work beats buying after.
Options three and four: discount plans and paying cash
Discount networks cut sticker prices without being insurance, and some dental offices offer in-house membership plans. For light users, straightforward cash budgeting can genuinely beat premiums. The right answer follows your teeth, not a rule of thumb, and we price all four paths side by side.