Medicare Doesn't Cover
Everything. We Do.
What Medicare Doesn't Pay For
Medicare is excellent health coverage — but it was never designed to cover everything. Here's what your Medicare Advantage or Supplement plan leaves on the table, and what it can cost you out of pocket.
A crown, bridge, or dentures can cost thousands. Medicare pays $0 for most dental work. Even routine cleanings aren't covered.
Routine eye exams and prescription eyeglasses are not covered by Original Medicare. As vision changes with age, this cost adds up fast.
Hearing loss affects 2 in 3 adults over 70. Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids or most hearing exams. Most people need two aids.
Each hospital admission resets this deductible. Multiple stays in a year? Multiple deductibles. Hospital indemnity pays you cash to cover it.
Cancer, heart attack, and stroke treatments generate costs Medicare only partially covers. Copays, coinsurance, and non-covered services add up fast.
After Medicare pays 80%, you owe 20% of the approved amount — with no cap on Supplement Plan A or B. Supplemental insurance covers these gaps.
"The average Medicare beneficiary pays $7,000–$12,000 per year in out-of-pocket healthcare costs — costs that ancillary coverage is specifically designed to reduce."
Source: Commonwealth Fund, 2024 Medicare Beneficiary Survey
Ancillary Plans We Offer
Each product below is available as a standalone add-on to your existing Medicare coverage — mix and match to build the protection that makes sense for your situation.
Dental Insurance
Preventive care through major restorative work — your smile is part of your overall health
Why It Matters
Poor oral health is directly linked to heart disease, diabetes complications, and respiratory infections — conditions that disproportionately affect Medicare-age adults. Medicare covers none of it.
A single root canal can run $1,500–$2,500. Full dentures, $2,500–$5,000 per arch. Dental insurance — even a basic plan — recovers its annual premium in a single preventive visit.
What's Typically Covered
- ✔ 100% preventive care (exams, X-rays, cleanings)
- ✔ 70–80% basic services (fillings, extractions)
- ✔ 50% major services (crowns, bridges, dentures)
- ✔ Optional orthodontia for eligible plans
- ✔ Emergency dental pain & infection treatment
Vision Insurance
Annual exams, prescription lenses, and frames — keep your independence by keeping your sight
Why It Matters
Uncorrected vision is one of the leading causes of preventable falls in older adults — falls that result in 3 million emergency room visits annually. Regular eye exams also catch early signs of glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and even diabetes.
Medicare only covers eye exams related to medical conditions like diabetic eye disease. Routine exams and eyeglasses? Out of pocket.
What's Typically Covered
- ✔ Annual eye exam ($0 or low copay)
- ✔ Prescription lenses (single, bifocal, progressive)
- ✔ Frames allowance ($100–$200+ per year)
- ✔ Contact lens allowance in lieu of eyeglasses
- ✔ LASIK discounts on select plans
Hearing Coverage
Exams, hearing aids, and fittings — because isolation caused by hearing loss is a real health risk
Why It Matters
Two-thirds of adults over 70 experience some degree of hearing loss. Untreated hearing loss is linked to social isolation, depression, and significantly accelerated cognitive decline — including dementia.
Hearing aids alone cost $2,000–$7,000 per device. Most people need two. Medicare covers hearing aids only on certain Advantage plans — and often with significant restrictions. A standalone hearing plan fills that gap for a fraction of the cost.
What's Typically Covered
- ✔ Annual hearing exam from licensed audiologists
- ✔ Hearing aid allowance ($500–$2,500+ per aid)
- ✔ Fitting & follow-up to ensure proper benefit
- ✔ Battery replacements or rechargeable options
- ✔ Extended warranty on select premium plans
Hospital Indemnity
Cash paid directly to you for each day you're hospitalized — use it however you need
Why It Matters
Medicare Advantage plans have a per-admission deductible that resets with every hospital stay. In 2025, that's $1,632 per benefit period. Two hospitalizations in a year? $3,264 out of pocket before Medicare pays anything.
Hospital Indemnity pays you a fixed daily benefit — typically $100–$500/day — for each day you're admitted. The money goes directly to you, no itemized bills required. Use it for the deductible, for lost income, for help around the house.
Typical Benefit Structure
- ✔ Hospital admission benefit (lump sum per stay)
- ✔ Daily inpatient benefit ($100–$500/day)
- ✔ ICU daily benefit (2–3× standard rate)
- ✔ Skilled nursing facility benefit for recovery stays
- ✔ Emergency room benefit (per visit, some plans)
- ✔ No network restrictions — any hospital accepted
Cancer, Heart & Stroke Insurance
Lump-sum or income-replacement benefits when a critical diagnosis changes everything
Why It Matters
One in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. A heart attack or stroke can happen without warning. Medicare covers hospitalization and some treatment — but not the non-medical costs that follow.
Transportation to specialized cancer centers. Experimental treatment copays. Home modifications after a stroke. Lost income during recovery. These costs are real — and a lump-sum payout lets you handle them on your terms.
Common Benefit Triggers
- ✔ Cancer diagnosis (internal organ, skin, blood)
- ✔ Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- ✔ Stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic)
- ✔ Coronary bypass surgery
- ✔ Major organ transplant
- ✔ End-stage renal failure
Final Expense / Burial Insurance
Small whole-life policies that protect your family from funeral and end-of-life costs
Why It Matters
The average funeral costs $8,000–$12,000. Medicare pays nothing toward funeral expenses. Final expense insurance is a whole-life policy with modest face values ($5,000–$25,000) designed specifically to cover these costs — with no medical exam required in most cases.
The benefit goes directly to your beneficiary, usually within days, with no restrictions on how it's used. It's one of the kindest gifts you can leave your family.
Key Features
- ✔ Whole life policy — builds cash value over time
- ✔ Guaranteed premiums — never increases with age
- ✔ No medical exam — simplified underwriting
- ✔ Fast death benefit payout — usually 24–72 hrs
- ✔ Any beneficiary — family, funeral home, trust
- ✔ Portable — follows you if you move states
Why Supplement & Advantage
Clients Both Need Ancillary
It doesn't matter whether you have a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medigap Supplement — neither replaces the value of ancillary coverage. Here's why.
Meet Barbara, 67 — Advantage Plan
Barbara has a $0-premium Advantage plan. She loves it — great network, prescription coverage, even a gym benefit. Then she needs a root canal and crown. Her Advantage plan's dental benefit covers one cleaning per year. The crown? $1,800 out of pocket.
Three months later, she's hospitalized for 4 days. Her Advantage plan's $400/day copay kicks in — that's $1,600 she didn't budget for.
With ancillary: A $25/mo dental plan + $30/mo hospital indemnity would have covered both events. Total annual cost: $660. Savings: $2,740.
- ✔ Dental plan to fill the dental gap
- ✔ Hospital indemnity for the copay exposure
- ✔ Vision plan (not included in most Advantage plans)
- ✔ Cancer/stroke plan for major diagnosis protection
Meet Harold, 71 — Plan G Supplement
Harold has a Plan G Medigap. After his Part B deductible, Medicare and his supplement cover virtually all his medical costs. He feels well-protected — and he is, medically.
But then his audiologist tells him he needs hearing aids in both ears. $6,400. His Supplement plan covers zero percent of hearing aids — they're not a Medicare-covered service.
With ancillary: A $20/mo hearing plan with a $2,500/aid benefit would cover $5,000 of that cost. Total annual cost: $240. Savings: $4,760.
- ✔ Dental plan (Supplement doesn't include dental)
- ✔ Vision plan (Supplement doesn't include vision)
- ✔ Hearing plan (Supplement doesn't include hearing)
- ✔ Final expense policy to protect family
The bottom line:
Medicare Advantage may include some dental, vision, or hearing — but rarely enough. Medicare Supplements cover hospital and medical costs excellently — but include none of these ancillary benefits. Either way, there's a gap. Ancillary insurance fills it.
Build Your Ancillary Coverage Package
Tell me which gaps you want to fill and I'll shop multiple carriers to find you the best value — no obligation, no pressure. Most quotes are ready within one business day.
Ancillary Coverage Quote Request
Rodney personally reviews every request and responds within 1 business day
Medicare Gap Coverage Guide:
What You're Missing
Everything you need to know about ancillary coverage in one clear guide — the 6 gap types, real cost scenarios, carrier options, and a planning checklist. Free download.
- ✓ Why Medicare leaves dental, vision & hearing gaps
- ✓ Real dollar-impact scenarios (Barbara & Harold)
- ✓ The right ancillary combination for your plan type
- ✓ 9-carrier comparison overview
- ✓ Printable coverage planning checklist
Get Your Free Guide
Enter your email below — we'll send your guide instantly.
Carriers We Work With for Ancillary Coverage
Multi-Carrier Ancillary Coverage, Powered by Technology
I use the same advanced quoting platform trusted by top independent agents nationwide — instantly comparing dental, vision, hearing, and hospital indemnity plans across multiple carriers so you get the best value, not just the most convenient option.
Instant Dental, Vision & Hearing Quotes
Compare plans from Mutual of Omaha, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, and more — side by side, in seconds. No more calling multiple agents.
Hospital Indemnity Comparison
Hospital stays are expensive. I compare cash-benefit indemnity plans from top carriers so you have the right coverage before you ever need it.
Electronic Enrollment
No paperwork, no faxing, no delays. Applications are submitted electronically — you get coverage activated faster with less hassle.
Policy Tracking Year-Round
Your ancillary coverage is tracked alongside your other policies. I monitor for renewals, rate changes, and better options so you never overpay.
No-Pressure Guidance
I present the options clearly and explain what each plan actually covers — then the choice is yours. No sales pressure, no hidden agendas.
Accessible Anytime
Questions about your plan? I can pull up your policy details and answer from anywhere. You're never left waiting for a callback.
Protect What Matters Most
Life Insurance That Grows With You — Tax-Free
Beyond Medicare gaps, an IUL or FIA can provide tax-free retirement income, death benefit protection, and living benefits. Rodney works with 10+ top carriers to find your best match.
Stop Paying for Gaps You
Don't Have to Accept
Most people don't know these plans exist until they get a bill that ruins their retirement budget. A 20-minute conversation with Rodney can identify which ancillary products protect you most — for far less than you'd expect.
📞 Call or text: 503-832-8555 | Based in Oregon, serving clients nationwide
Have questions about Medicare ancillary benefits?
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