Costs & coverage

What does Medicare not cover?

Original Medicare doesn't cover most routine dental, vision, or hearing care, long-term custodial care, or care outside the U.S. in most cases. It also leaves you with deductibles and a 20% share of many costs, with no annual cap — which is why many people add a Medicare Advantage plan, a Supplement, or a Part D drug plan.

Reviewed by Scott Stafford, Licensed Insurance Agent

Last updated June 21, 2026

The common gaps

Original Medicare generally does not pay for:

routine dental, vision, and hearing care, including most dentures, glasses, and hearing aids;
long-term custodial care — help with daily activities in a nursing home or at home;
most care received outside the United States;
prescription drugs you take at home (that's what Part D is for);
cosmetic surgery and most routine foot care.

The cost gap

Beyond services it excludes, Original Medicare leaves you responsible for deductibles and a 20% share of many costs — and there's no yearly limit on that exposure on its own.

How people fill the gaps

A Part D plan covers prescriptions. A Medicare Supplement covers much of the deductible-and-coinsurance gap. A Medicare Advantage plan bundles drug coverage and often adds dental, vision, hearing, and other extras, with a cap on yearly medical costs. A licensed agent can help you decide which approach fits.

Common questions