news

This week, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined U.S. Representative and fellow Texan Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) as well as 116 other House Democrats to introduce the Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit to expand the care Medicare provides. 

“Expanding healthcare for our community has always been a priority for me,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “We live in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. There’s no reason seniors shouldn’t have access to basic benefits provided by this legislation. I’m proud to join my colleagues in righting this wrong and ensuring Medicare provides the coverage seniors need.”

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

Over 26 million Medicare beneficiaries have no dental coverage at all and have to pay out-of-pocket or forego needed care. As a result, nearly one in five seniors over age 75 have lost all of their natural teeth. Further, more than one in three Medicare beneficiaries have difficulty seeing and more than two in five Medicare beneficiaries have difficulty hearing. 

While Republicans in Congress are preparing legislation to cut Medicaid by $880 billion in order to pay for tax breaks for the top 1 percent, these representatives are fighting to make it easier for seniors and people with disabilities to go to the dentist, audiologist and optometrist. 

The lawmakers’ legislation would expand Medicare to cover dentures, comprehensive vision care including eye exams and prescription eyeglasses, comprehensive hearing care to all Medicare recipients with moderate or profound hearing loss, and dental care to all Medicare recipients to cover cleanings, x-rays, fillings, and other procedures.

The legislation has been endorsed by several organizations, including 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. 

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), along with 7 other Democratic senators introduced a Senate companion bill. 

The full text of the legislation can be found here.