Does Medicare pay for eyeglasses?
Sorry to say that Medicare doesn't normally cover any part of the cost of eyeglasses. Medicare Part B can pay for one basic pair of eyeglasses only if your mother had cataract surgery in which a new lens was implanted in her eye. Otherwise, Medicare Part B pays nothing for glasses.
The only other possibility for Medicare to contribute to the cost of your mother's glasses is if she belongs to a Medicare Part C "Medicare Advantage" HMO or other managed care plan. These plans provide slightly broader coverage than traditional Medicare Part B does, and a few of them pay some of the cost of eye exams and glasses. If she belongs to a Medicare Advantage plan, check with the plan administrator to see if there is any coverage for glasses.
Clark Howard has a place to order glasses inexpensively. I have ordered three pair at different times and all the glasses are great. So go to Clark Howard.com
Costco is a very good place to order glasses at a reasonable price. I went there after reading an article in consumer report about where retirees should go to buy glasses. Mine usually cost over $300 and I bought two for around $200.
Unfortunately, as of April 11th, 2012, Costco is not a Medicare provider any longer. So, going to Costco won't work for Medicare Beneficiaries any more. You can still go there and pay their rates and you should still be able to save money, but you'll have do do it without the help from your Medicare Advantage plan.
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