Thompson, Doggett Partner on Bill Expanding Medicare Benefits to Cover Dental, Vision and Hearing

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ranking Member of the House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee, announced that his colleague Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) will lead the effort to pass Rep. Doggett's Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act in the next congress. As Rep. Doggett prepares to retire, he has tapped Thompson to carry forward this crucial legislation expanding Medicare coverage to include dental, vision and hearing benefits.

"Maintaining one's dental, hearing, and vision health is critical to ensuring good nutrition, preventing cognitive decline, stopping falls, and more. I've always believed that expanding older Americans' access to these kinds of healthcare just makes sense," said Thompson. "I'm honored to work with my colleague Rep. Lloyd Doggett lead the effort to expand Medicare benefits in the next Congress."

"We seek to assure more comprehensive health coverage for the more than 66 million seniors and disabled individuals who rely on Medicare," said Doggett. "Though so important to overall health, Medicare coverage continues to be very limited for dental, vision, and hearing services. This expanded care could help prevent cognitive impairment and dementia, worsened chronic disease, and imbalance leading to falls with deadly consequences. This is an essential step to fulfilling the original promise of Medicare-to assure dignity and health for all. I'm pleased to work with Rep. Thompson, who has supported this bill for many years, to ensure this important legislation is carried forward."

BACKGROUND

Expanding Medicare to cover dental, hearing, and vision services is overwhelmingly popular: A Data for Progress poll conducted in 2024 found that 92 percent of Americans supported expanding Medicare to provide dental, vision and hearing benefits.

Over 24 million Medicare beneficiaries have no dental coverage at all and have to pay out-of-pocket or forego needed care. Further, more than one in three Medicare beneficiaries have difficulty seeing and more than two in five Medicare beneficiaries have difficulty hearing.

After Republicans in Congress cut $1 trillion from our health care system in order to pay for tax breaks for the top one percent, Doggett and Thompson are fighting to reverse these cuts and to make it easier for seniors and people with disabilities to go to the dentist, audiologist and optometrist.

The Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act updates the Medicare benefits package to ensure that all beneficiaries have access to crucial items and services that are important to their overall health. Senator Bernie Sander (I-VT) leads the companion bill in the U.S. Senate. The bill makes the following changes to federal law:

• Repeals the outdated statutory exclusion that currently prohibits Medicare from covering most dental, vision, and hearing care.
• Expands Medicare benefits to include items and services such as dentures, preventative and emergency dental care; refractive eye exams and eyeglasses; and hearing aids and exams.
• Provides for appropriate payment to health providers through Medicare Part B.

The Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act is endorsed by: Center for Medicare Advocacy, Community Catalyst, Public Citizen, Social Security Works, Center for Health and Democracy, MoveOn.org, Families USA, CareQuest Center for Oral Health, Justice in Aging, People's Action, Medicare Rights Center and Advocates for Community Health.

Read the bill text for the Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act here.