Medicare Advantage plans can offer "supplemental benefits" — services Original Medicare doesn't cover. They're a big reason people choose Medicare Advantage, but they're also where plans differ the most. A plan advertising "dental" might cover two cleanings a year, or it might include an annual allowance for fillings, crowns and dentures. The details matter.
What Original Medicare doesn't cover
- Most dental care, including cleanings, fillings, extractions and dentures
- Routine eye exams for glasses and contacts, and eyeglasses themselves (except after cataract surgery)
- Hearing aids and exams for fitting them
- Long-term custodial care
Common supplemental benefits
Dental
Preventive (exams, cleanings, X-rays) and sometimes comprehensive care (fillings, root canals, crowns, dentures). Look for annual maximums, waiting periods and in-network dentists.
Vision
Routine eye exams and an allowance toward glasses or contacts. Check the allowance amount and how often it renews.
Hearing
Hearing exams and hearing aids, often through specific vendors. Check per-ear allowances and how often you can get new aids.
Fitness
Gym memberships, classes or at-home fitness kits through programs the plan contracts with.
Over-the-counter
A quarterly or monthly allowance for approved OTC health items like vitamins, pain relievers and first-aid supplies.
Transportation
Rides to medical appointments or the pharmacy, usually limited to a number of trips per year.
Seven questions to ask about any extra benefit
- Is there a yearly dollar maximum or allowance?
- Which providers or vendors must I use?
- Are there copays, coinsurance or waiting periods?
- How often does the benefit renew — monthly, quarterly, yearly?
- Do unused allowances roll over or expire?
- Is the benefit available to all members or only some?
- Could it change next year? (Benefits can change every January 1.)
Don't let extras outweigh the essentials
A generous dental allowance won't help much if your cardiologist isn't in network or your medications are on an expensive tier. We recommend comparing the core first — doctors, hospitals, prescriptions, the out-of-pocket maximum — then using extra benefits as a tie-breaker.