Medicare Covers Preventative Eye Care in Some Circumstances

 

Medicare generally won’t pay for routine eye care, but does in certain circumstances.

• If you have diabetes, Medicare will pay for an eye exam once every 12 months to check for vision loss due to the condition;
• If you are at high risk for glaucoma Medicare will cover an eye exam by a state-authorized eye doctor once every 12 months. You are considered to be at high risk if you:
• have diabetes;
• have a family history of glaucoma;
• are African American and age 50 or older; or
• are Hispanic and age 65 or older.

-From: The Medicare Rights Center’s website “Medicare Interactive”, http://www.medicareinteractive.org/page2.php?topic=counselor&page=q_and_a&qanda_id=215 retrieved 1/25/10.

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