About 1 in every 5 adults over the age of 65 have a cataract. If you do, then you’re probably also interested in resolving the issue. But cataract treatments can be expensive. It’s worth taking some time to figure out whether your Medicare health insurance will cover them.
Below, you’ll find everything that you need to know about cataracts in older adults, including the types of cataract treatment that are covered by Medicare. Keep reading to learn more.
A cataract is a cloudy area that sits in the lens of your eye. You may not even notice that you have one at first. But as time goes on, cataracts tend to worsen. They can make your vision blurry, hazy, and even less colorful. The most severe cataracts make it difficult for older adults to complete their daily activities without assistance.
The only way to permanently resolve a cataract is to have it removed through an operation. But it’s unlikely that you’ll need to receive surgery immediately. You may be able to take some easy steps at home to manage the cataract on your own. For example, you can try things like:
Another option is to try a new pair of glasses or new contacts. These can be fine-tuned to improve your ability to see clearly with your cataract.
But if neither at-home care nor a new prescription is able to handle your cataract issues, then you’ll need to schedule surgery to have it removed. In this surgery, the doctor will remove the clouded eye lens and replace it with a new artificial lens.
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Cataract surgery is covered by Original Medicare. If this is what you have, then your insurance will cover the costs of:
This will be enough to resolve the issue for many people. But the basic lens replacements that are covered by Medicare won’t satisfy the needs of some individuals. Your healthcare provider may advise that they put in a set of more advanced lens implants instead.
Advanced lenses aren’t covered by Original Medicare. But they’re often covered by Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare Advantage builds upon what’s offered by Original Medicare with expanded coverage for vision, dental, and many other services that aren’t covered in a robust way by standard plans.
Are you interested in learning more about your coverage options for cataracts? If so, then consider contacting a partnered licensed agent through Time for 65 today.
They can tell you what your existing coverage looks like and make recommendations for Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans that could fulfill your health insurance needs better than your current plan.
Reaching an agent is easy. You can do so by either filling out this form or giving us a call.
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