8 Common Procedures Medicare Won't Cover in 2027

A dentist recommends a filling. Your glasses prescription changes. A parent needs help getting dressed each morning. These may be ordinary needs, but Original Medicare may leave you paying the entire bill.

That matters when you're checking whether your retirement plan can really handle more than premiums and copays. Medicare's 2027 handbook confirms several easy-to-miss gaps. Costs below are current examples for planning, not set prices for 2027; what you pay depends on the provider and where you live. Here are eight expenses to check before choosing next year's coverage.

Routine dental cleanings and fillings

Original Medicare generally doesn't pay for cleanings or fillings, even when your dentist says you need one. A routine cleaning may cost between $80 and $110, while one filling could run about $199 to $333, according to Humana's pricing estimates.

Prices vary by tooth, material, and location. Medicare may cover certain dental treatment when it's directly connected to a covered medical procedure, such as preparing for a heart valve replacement.

Tooth extractions and dentures

A tooth that has to come out isn't automatically a Medicare-covered expense. Neither are dentures. Humana's pricing examples put some partial or full dentures at roughly $1,626 to $2,104. An extraction could add hundreds more.

An exception may apply if removing an infected tooth is necessary before covered cancer treatment. That exception doesn't turn ordinary extractions or replacement teeth into a general Medicare dental benefit, though.

Routine eye exams and glasses

Original Medicare generally leaves you to pay for an exam to update your glasses prescription, plus the glasses themselves. For a sense of the cost, Warby Parker lists exams starting at $85 and prescription glasses starting at $95; upgrades can cost more.

Medicare does cover certain medical eye care, including eligible diabetic eye exams. It also covers one pair of standard glasses or contacts after cataract surgery that implants an intraocular lens.

Hearing aids and fitting appointments

A hearing test and a hearing-aid fitting sound similar, but Medicare treats them differently. Original Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids or exams to fit them. In a survey of hearing-aid buyers, the average price paid was $2,694 per pair, though prices varied widely.

Medicare can cover diagnostic hearing and balance exams under its rules, including some audiologist visits for qualifying non-acute hearing conditions. Ask which kind of appointment you're booking.

Long-term help with daily activities

If you need someone to help you bathe, dress, or use the bathroom, Original Medicare generally won't pay for that ongoing custodial care. The cost can dwarf the other gaps: CareScout's 2025 survey found a national median of $35 an hour for a nonmedical caregiver and $6,200 a month for assisted living.

Medicare may cover short-term skilled nursing facility care when its requirements are met. That benefit doesn't pay for an indefinite stay devoted to personal care.

Elective cosmetic procedures

Want an eyelid lift solely to change how you look? Expect to pay for it yourself. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons lists an upper eyelid surgery as costing $3,359 on average, before extra costs like anesthesia and facility fees.

Medicare may cover surgery needed after an accidental injury or to improve function. It also covers breast reconstruction after a mastectomy for breast cancer. However, optional, cosmetic surgeries are hardly ever covered.

Most alternative therapies

Original Medicare doesn't cover massage therapy, and it limits acupuncture coverage to qualifying chronic low back pain. That distinction matters if you're considering a series of appointments: even a $50 self-pay session adds up to $500 over 10 visits.

Cleveland Clinic lists $50 for a group acupuncture appointment. Under Medicare's rules, eligible patients may receive up to 12 covered acupuncture visits in 90 days, with additional visits if they improve.

Most medical care abroad

An injury on an overseas trip could leave you responsible for the full foreign hospital bill. Original Medicare typically doesn't cover any care outside of the United States, though there are some very narrow exceptions.

Some Medigap policies do include limited foreign travel emergency coverage, and separate travel medical insurance is another option. Before leaving, check the policy's coverage limit and whether you would need to pay the provider first and seek reimbursement later.

Compare Medicare Advantage benefits closely

When you're looking to fill gaps in your coverage, your first step should be to compare Medicare Advantage benefits closely. Some Medicare Advantage plans include dental, vision, or hearing benefits, but that doesn't mean they cover everything in that category.

Check the dollar allowance, covered procedures, provider network, and what you would owe after reaching a limit. Compare those extras alongside your doctors, medications, and costs for other medical care.

Know what Medigap does

Medigap can reduce your share of costs for Medicare-covered care. It generally won't pay for routine dental or vision services, hearing aids, or long-term custodial care.

If you keep Original Medicare, compare standalone dental or vision policies against paying directly. Look at premiums, waiting periods, annual benefit limits, and the services you expect to use. Check Medigap eligibility before switching coverage, too: you may not have a guaranteed right to buy a policy later.

Bottom line

Original Medicare still leaves significant gaps in 2027, from dental work and hearing aids to long-term personal care. Medicare Advantage may include some senior benefits that help, but check each plan's limits before counting on them to cover a bill.

Before scheduling an expensive service, ask the provider for a written estimate and whether any part of the treatment qualifies for Medicare coverage. That gives you a clearer number to budget for, and a chance to resolve coverage questions before the bill arrives.

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