Does Walmart Accept Medicare for Eyeglasses? (Medicaid – The Truth!)

Do you know if Walmart accepts Medicare for eyeglasses or does Walmart accepts Medicaid? These are the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

Eyeglasses can be extremely expensive nowadays so finding an inexpensive provider is essential. Luckily, most Walmart locations have their own vision centers where you can purchase eyeglasses and they even accept some forms of insurance. Will they accept Medicare though?

Some Walmart vision centers will accept Medicare for eyeglasses. Each location is different so it is important to check ahead of time to see if your local branch will accept Medicare. Also, check to see if they accept your particular plan because not all Medicare plans may be accepted at Walmart vision centers.

In this article, we will review the different Medicare plans that Walmart vision centers typically accept as well as other insurance plans they may approve of for eyeglasses purchases. Additionally, we will cover how much of the expense for eyeglasses Medicare covers.

Finally, we will answer whether or not every Walmart accepts Medicare and what to do if your local branch does not.

How Much Does Medicare Cover for Eyeglasses?

Original Medicare does not cover vision health including the purchase of corrective lenses. However, Medicare Plan B will cover one pair of eyeglasses for those who need them following cataract surgery. Medicare Plan C, or the Medicare Advantage Plans, do offer vision care coverage.

Medicare plans that do cover eyeglasses only cover a certain amount. Typically, Medicare will pay less than half of the amount of the cost of eyeglasses, and the rest you will have to pay out of pocket.

The average coverage of eyeglasses by Medicare is $160 – a full $200 less than the average cost of eyeglasses.

Other Medicare plans that especially cover eyeglasses for patients after they’ve undergone cataract surgery require a 20% copay at the time of purchase.

This is better coverage for eyeglasses, but you need to meet the medical requirements.

Read also: Does Costco Accept Medicare for Eyeglasses? (Medicaid – The Truth!)

What Medicare Plans Does Walmart Accept?

For Walmart locations that do accept Medicare, they accept the original Medicare plan (which does not offer any vision coverage) as well as the Medicare Advantage Plans which have partial vision coverage.

They also accept Medigap which is Medicare Supplemental Insurance.

To find out what specific Medicare Advantage Plans are accepted at your local Walmart vision center, give them a call.

You could also check out their website as it may be listed there as well.

Does Walmart Accept Medicaid?

Yes, some Walmart vision centers accept Medicaid which is a public health insurance option for lower-income Americans.

What Other Insurance Plans Does Walmart Vision Center Accept?

In addition to Medicare, Walmart vision centers also accept some Medicaid plans and most major optical insurance providers.

Private insurance companies such as Davis Vision, Spectra, EyeMed, VSP, and Cole Managed Vision are accepted at most Walmart vision centers.

Vision insurance is only allowed for eyeglasses purchases that are made in the store. Online and over the phone purchases do not qualify for optical insurance benefits.

For these insurance plans, Walmart vision centers are considered out-of-network. While you are paying less than you would without insurance, it won’t cover most of the cost of your eyeglasses as an in-network provider might.

Read also: Does Cleveland Clinic Accept Medicare? (The Truth!)

Does Every Walmart Accept Medicare for Eyeglasses?

Not every Walmart vision center accepts Medicare to cover the cost of eyeglasses. It is best to check with your local Walmart before planning on purchasing your eyeglasses there if you want to use Medicare to help cover part of the costs.

Some Walmart vision centers may accept certain Medicare plans but not others. Each Walmart location may vary in its acceptance of different insurance plans.

The best way to check if your local Walmart vision center accepts your Medicare plan is to call ahead or check their website to see if they list the specific insurance plans they accept for eyeglasses purchases.

You will also want to confirm what part of the vision care they allow Medicare plans to cover because some may have specific rules such as only covering eye exams and not eyeglasses, or only covering eyeglasses purchased in person and not online or over the phone.

What Should I Do If My Local Walmart Vision Center Doesn’t Accept Medicare?

If your local Walmart vision center does not accept your Medicare plan, there are a couple of options for you. If you still want to use your Medicare coverage and purchase your eyeglasses from a Walmart vision center, research other locations that are within reasonable driving distance.

Walmart stores are abundant so it shouldn’t be hard to find a location that meets your needs.

If you are not willing to drive farther than your local Walmart, check to see if they will accept any other forms of vision insurance you may have.

Even if you don’t have insurance coverage, Walmart usually offers cheaper prices on eyeglasses than most optical care centers so you still may be saving money.

If you really want to use your Medicare benefits and aren’t married to the idea of buying your eyeglasses from Walmart, then check your local listings for other optical care centers in your area.

Call them to see if they will accept your Medicare benefits and compare the price and quality of purchasing eyeglasses from Walmart without Medicare to purchasing eyeglasses from another retailer with the Medicare benefits.

Conclusion

There are many Walmart vision centers that accept Medicare for purchasing eyeglasses, but not all locations do.

It is important to call your local Walmart before planning on purchasing your eyeglasses through them to see if they accept your Medicare plan and what the terms of use are.

Not all Medicare plans cover eyeglasses and the ones that do only partially pay for the cost of eyeglasses.

Walmart will accept other forms of insurance to pay for eyeglasses as well as Medicare Advantage Plans and Medicare B for those who have had cataract surgery.

If your local Walmart vision center does not accept Medicare for eyeglasses purchases, you can consider buying your eyeglasses from another Walmart location, another optical care provider, or not using your Medicare insurance at all.

Eyeglasses can be expensive but the combination of Walmart’s low prices and Medicare’s coverage can help significantly lower the cost.

References

https://clark.com/health-health-care/walmart-vision-center-review/