S. 939 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Mar 11, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryMedicare adds dental, hearing, and vision coverage
Right now, Medicare doesn't cover dental work, hearing aids, or eye care, even though millions of older adults need these services. This bill would add those three benefits to Medicare, so seniors could get cleanings and dental treatment, hearing aids with related services, and routine eye exams and glasses. The government would set up payment rules for providers and phase in any premium changes over three years starting in 2028.
How it affects you
If you're on Medicare or will be soon, this would mean you could get dental, hearing, and vision care covered under your benefits instead of paying out of pocket. Right now, many older adults skip these services because they're expensive and not covered, so this change would directly affect seniors and people approaching retirement age who need these kinds of care.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Mar 11, 2025)
Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025
This bill provides for coverage of dental, hearing, and vision care under Medicare.
Specifically, the bill provides for coverage of
• dental 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.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 939
A BILL
Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT) · Introduced Mar 11, 2025 · Health · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 11, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.”
Sections
Sections · 5
- Sec. 1Short titleNo change
- Sec. 2Coverage of dental and oral health careNo change
- Sec. 3Providing coverage for hearing care under the Medicare programNo change
- Sec. 4Providing coverage for vision care under the Medicare programNo change
- Sec. 5Phase-in of impact of dental and oral health coverage on part B premiumsNo change