S. 2084 would add dental, vision, and hearing services to Medicare coverage and expand the services that can qualify for Medicaid assistance. Medicare services would include dental care and dentures, eye exams and certain vision devices, hearing exams, and hearing aids. The bill sets service limits and lets the Secretary of Health and Human Services set other reasonable limits. Medicare payment rates for these services would increase over time, reaching 80 percent in the eighth year described in the bill. For certain Medicaid services for people age 21 and older, the federal share of costs would be 90 percent. The bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Finance Committee; it has not been enacted.
If enacted, the bill would provide Medicare coverage for specified dental, vision, and hearing services, subject to limits. For example, Medicare payment would be limited to two routine dental cleanings and exams per year, one routine eye exam per year, and one hearing aid per ear every 48 months. It also sets limits on dentures, eyeglasses, and contact lenses. Medicaid coverage would include qualifying dental, vision, and hearing services, with the increased federal funding applying to certain services for people age 21 and older. The bill’s changes would start on dates tied to enactment.
The bill does not provide an overall cost estimate or say how much an individual would pay. It sets a Medicare payment schedule that starts at 0 percent and rises by 10 percentage points each year, reaching 80 percent in the eighth year. It would set the federal Medicaid matching share at 90 percent for the specified services.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.