Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025
A bill from an independent · See all 8 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025," seeks to amend the Social Security Act to expand Medicare coverage. It aims to include dental and oral health services, hearing care, and vision services within the Medicare program. The bill establishes specific definitions, payment structures, and frequency limits for these new services. Implementation of these benefits would begin at various stages between 2026 and 2027. It also includes specific provisions for rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers. Finally, the act includes a phase-in period for the impact of these changes on Medicare Part B premiums.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +9
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill provides significant new health benefits specifically for Medicare-enrolled seniors.
- Scored +9
Would retired people be better off under this?
The expansion of Medicare benefits directly benefits retirees through dental, hearing, and vision coverage.
- Scored +8
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill significantly expands healthcare access by covering previously excluded dental, hearing, and vision services.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expanded Dental Coverage: Individuals would gain coverage for preventive and screening services, such as oral exams and cleanings, as well as procedures like fillings, crowns, and dentures (Section 2(b)).
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Hearing Care Access: The bill provides coverage for audiology services and hearing aid examination services, as well as coverage for hearing aids for those with moderately severe, severe, or profound hearing loss (Section 3(a) and 3(b)).
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Vision Care Access: People would be eligible for routine eye examinations to determine the refractive state of the eyes, as well as coverage for one pair of conventional eyeglasses or contact lenses (Section s 4(b)).
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Increased Support for Rural Areas: The bill provides incentives for dental and oral health professionals who work predominantly in designated health professional shortage areas (Section 2(c)(4)).
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Support for Health Centers: The bill establishes temporary payment rates for dental, audiology, and vision services furnished by rural health clinics and Federally qualified health centers (Section 2(g) and 3(e)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Service Limitations: Coverage for certain services is subject to specific limits, such as a maximum of two oral exams and two dental cleanings per year (Section 2(c)(3)), or a limit of one routine eye examination every two years (Section 4(c)).
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Hearing Aid Restrictions: Payment for hearing aids is limited to once per ear during a five-year period (Section 3(b)(2)).
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Eyeglass Limitations: Coverage for eyeglasses is limited to one pair during a two-year period, and the bill explicitly excludes coverage for deluxe eyeglasses or conventional reading glasses (Section 4(f)(1)).
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Premium Adjustments: The bill outlines a method for a phase-in of the impact of these new coverages on Medicare Part B premiums, which involves determining an alternative monthly actuarial rate for enrollees (Section 5).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would retired people be better off under this? — The expansion of Medicare benefits directly benefits retirees through dental, hearing, and vision coverage. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill provides significant new health benefits specifically for Medicare-enrolled seniors. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill includes incentives and specific support for health providers in rural areas.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill significantly expands healthcare access by covering previously excluded dental, hearing, and vision services. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill appropriates billions of dollars to expand Medicare coverage for dental, hearing, and vision services.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill provides incentives and specific payment rates for providers in health professional shortage areas and rural clinics.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this strengthen Social Security? — The bill expands coverage within the Medicare program, which is a component of the Social Security Act.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands the scope of federal Medicare coverage and administration.
- 12/8/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/11/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts