WASHINGTON, March 11 – As millions of seniors and people with disabilities struggle to afford dentures, hearing aids and eye glasses, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, today introduced bicameral legislation to expand access to dental, hearing and vision care for the 68 million American seniors on Medicare.
Around 4:30 p.m. ET, Sanders will ask for unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass his legislation, forcing anyone who opposes expanding Medicare to include essential dental, hearing and vision coverage to rise in opposition. Sanders’ remarks will be livestreamed on his social media here.
Joining Sanders and Doggett on this legislation are Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), as well as 115 cosponsors in the House.
“In the richest country in the history of the world, it is unacceptable that millions of seniors are unable to read because they can’t afford eyeglasses, can’t have conversations with their grandchildren because they can’t afford hearing aids and have trouble eating because they can’t afford dentures,” said Sanders. “That should not be happening in the United States of America in the year 2025. The time is long overdue for Congress to expand Medicare to include comprehensive coverage for the dental, vision and hearing care that our seniors desperately need.”
“We seek to assure more comprehensive health coverage for the more than 66 million seniors and disabled individuals who rely on Medicare,” said Doggett. “Though so important to overall health, Medicare coverage continues to be very limited for dental, vision, and hearing services. This expanded care could help prevent cognitive impairment and dementia, worsened chronic disease, and imbalance leading to falls with deadly consequences. This is an essential step to fulfilling the original promise of Medicare—to assure dignity and health for all.”
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, Sanders and Doggett 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.
Read the bill text for Sanders’ Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act here and a summary here.
Read the bill text for Doggett’s Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act here.
