Does Medicare cover orthodontics?
Medicare doesn't cover orthodontics and has no dental care coverage included. Medicare Advantage plans often include some basic dental coverage, but orthodontics is not always included. You can buy a dental insurance plan to supplement your Medicare coverage and help pay for orthodontics, either standalone or as an add-on to Medicare Advantage for orthodontics.
Free Medicare Insurance Comparison
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Leslie Kasperowicz
Farmers CSR for 4 Years
Leslie Kasperowicz holds a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Winnipeg. She spent several years as a Farmers Insurance CSR, gaining a solid understanding of insurance products including home, life, auto, and commercial and working directly with insurance customers to understand their needs. She has since used that knowledge in her more than ten years as a writer, largely in the insuranc...
Farmers CSR for 4 Years
UPDATED: Jun 1, 2022
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jun 1, 2022
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Original Medicare doesn’t cover orthodontics
- Medicare Advantage plans may include some dental coverage, including orthodontic
- Dental insurance plans can be purchased separately to cover orthodontics
Does Medicare cover orthodontics? Medicare generally doesn’t cover orthodontics, and in fact, there is very little coverage for dental work included with Original Medicare. You may have some coverage for orthodontics if you have a Medicare Advantage health insurance plan that includes dental coverage, but those with Original Medicare will need to purchase a separate dental plan.
To compare rates on Medicare plans that include orthodontics and other dental coverage, enter your ZIP code above.
Does Medicare cover dental care and orthodontics?
Medicare does not include routine dental services, nor does it cover braces or other orthodontic work. Does Medicare cover braces for adults? Unfortunately this is a procedure that isn’t covered, as with most orthodontic treatment. In rare situations, Medicare Part A may cover the hospitalization portion of an emergency that requires dental care, but the dental work itself will be out-of-pocket.
Another exception to the rule is that coverage may be available for dental care that is part of the treatment of a condition such as a cleft palate and is considered to be medically necessary.
If you choose to sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan, you may have dental included at no additional cost. Otherwise, dental insurance plans are available as an add-on to Medicare Advantage or as standalone policies. Dental plans are generally very affordable.
Are you looking for free insurance quotes?
Your one-stop online insurance guide. Get free quotes now!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What is the cost of orthodontics with Medicare?
You will pay the full amount of your orthodontic treatments if you have Original Medicare. As noted, some Medicare Advantage plans do include dental coverage, but it is generally for basic services. This wouldn’t include something like the cost of braces, as mentioned above. Some plans may have partial coverage for orthodontics. Overall, Medicare orthodontics will have to be something you research before scheduling an appointment.
Dental plans don’t always cover orthodontics, but when they do it’s generally a portion of the cost, commonly 50 percent, and up to a yearly limit.
The Bottom Line: Does Medicare cover orthodontics?
Original Medicare doesn’t include dental coverage and has no coverage for orthodontic services. There may be a few exceptions to this rule, but generally, braces are not covered. Some Medicare Advantage plans do include dental care, and the plans are also available for purchase. Orthodontic coverage on dental insurance is generally limited. You will want to ensure that the Medicare company you have will lay out the information in a way that makes it easy to understand your coverage.
To find a Medicare plan that includes orthodontics coverage, enter your ZIP code now.
Are you looking for free insurance quotes?
Your one-stop online insurance guide. Get free quotes now!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Leslie Kasperowicz
Farmers CSR for 4 Years
Leslie Kasperowicz holds a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Winnipeg. She spent several years as a Farmers Insurance CSR, gaining a solid understanding of insurance products including home, life, auto, and commercial and working directly with insurance customers to understand their needs. She has since used that knowledge in her more than ten years as a writer, largely in the insuranc...
Farmers CSR for 4 Years
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.