Vision plans are cheap, and so is the care they cover, which makes the margin narrow in both directions. This compares what an exam and a pair of glasses cost at retail against what the plan leaves you paying across a year.
This tool applies officially published figures to the numbers you enter. It is not an insurance quote, it is not an eligibility determination, and it does not predict what a carrier will charge you. Only HealthCare.gov, Medicare.gov, Social Security or the carrier can determine your eligibility and your actual price.
Vision Insurance Savings: how it works
The value is in the year you buy glasses
An exam alone rarely justifies the premium. A year where you buy frames, lenses and perhaps contacts usually does. If your prescription is stable and you buy glasses every two or three years, it is worth running this for a buying year and a non-buying year.
Medical eye care is not vision insurance
Cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic eye disease are treated under your health plan, not your vision plan. A vision plan covers routine exams and eyewear. Do not drop one expecting the other to cover it.
Common questionsCommon questions
Does Medicare cover glasses?
Original Medicare does not cover routine eye exams or glasses, with a narrow exception after cataract surgery. Many Medicare Advantage plans include a vision allowance — check the amount, because it varies a great deal.
Are these real plan prices?
No. You enter the figures from a plan you are considering and from your own optician. We do not publish carrier premiums or allowances here.